As we have already told you previously, aerothermal energy is coming on strong and this year it is becoming one of the most chosen options by consumers, especially those who already have an installation of solar panels.
Our colleagues at ATRENTi Solar have coined the term "Photovoltaics".Photovoltaics"and use it to refer to the combination of photovoltaic and aerothermal technologies that seeks to efficiently optimize the relationship between generation, demand and storage of energy in a home, maximizing annual savings.
In this article, which we wrote jointly with Atrenti Solar, we will delve into the benefits of Photovoltaics and its price, and break down each of its components: photovoltaic generation, aerothermal and storage. We'll show you how the right design and implementation of Photovoltaics can help your customer generate annual savings of up to 72% on their energy bill, with a 4-year return on investment.
If you want to differentiate yourself from your competition and offer added value to your renewable energy installation business, stay with us because this blog can make you take the leap in 2024.
Wattadvice...
Remember that a good project needs a good sales pitch to ensure its success. So don't miss a single detail of what we tell you and start closing opportunities now.
If you want to further refine your sales pitch to connect with your customers and hit the bull's eye, we suggest you take a look at our blog "The five types of renewable energy customers", where we reveal the secrets and concerns of each of these profiles.
Table of Contents
1. Photovolthermia
Photovoltaics is an innovative energy solution that maximizes efficiency and savings in homes and businesses.
Combining aerothermal and photovoltaic in a self-consumption Photovoltaic system is an effective solution, since it allows to cover the thermal needs of a home or business with electricity generated by solar panels if the design is done properly from the beginning.
Why is it an option that more and more people are considering?
- Because for every kWh of electricity consumed by a photovoltaic installation, the aerothermal and photovoltaic self-consumption system together is capable of producing 4 kWh of heat.
- Because the power consumption of the aerothermal system is programmable, which allows to coordinate its operation with the times of higher production.
- Because if the photovoltaic systems generate surplus energy, the aerothermal system can use it thanks to its DHW storage tank.
- Because the energy storage system, whether physical, pseudo-physical or virtual battery, is compatible with the latest aerothermal heating system.
The combination is especially advantageous for those seeking a comprehensive and sustainable energy solution. On the one hand, it maximizes energy efficiency, reducing operating costs and environmental impact. On the other hand, by using renewable energy, this system contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions. In addition, this installation system is suitable for both new construction and renovations, adapting to the diverse needs of your customers.
Although the initial investment is considerable, the long-term savings and environmental benefits make it worthwhile for many users.
2. Let's talk about price
We know that you don't need to be a genius to know where photovoltaic prices oscillate, you only need to add 2+2, and this may scare your customers at first.
Even so, we bring you arguments to combat the distrust of your customers on this issue and convince them that photovoltaics is a safe bet.
Photovoltaics aims to efficiently optimize the relationship between generation, demand (self-consumption) and availability (storage), for a defined comfort level, while maximizing annual savings. These 3 aspects will lead us to calculate the costs of this system.
Demand
When we talk about demand, we are talking about the annual consumption of a home (in kWh/year) to cover the needs of its occupants in terms of electricity, heating, hot water (DHW), air conditioning (A/C) and electric vehicle charging (if the installation is available).
The price lies in optimizing/minimizing demand, and for this it is key to switch from gas or diesel consumption (especially in the end-of-life phase of boilers, which is 14 or 15 years) to aerothermal heating.
But... how expensive can this be for your customers?
In 2024, the price of aerothermal energy ranges from 12,000 € to 25,000 € including materials, installation, taxes and all the necessary formalities.
For example:
If we install an aerothermal equipment according to this power, we can move to an aerothermal electricity consumption of 4,057kWh.
The final cost taken to this example is defined by a point determined by the following variables: high temperature radiators, high-end materials installed by the brand itself, comfort temperature level (e.g. between 19º to 22º) and all the necessary procedures. This cost will be around 15,050€ (VAT included)..
Wattadvice...
Keep in mind that the installation of an aerothermal system is a very important component both for the final cost and for the guarantees of the solution as a whole. An excellent aerothermal system, installed in a less than optimal way, can lead to very poor performances that can derail the whole efficiency improvement. That is why many brands require the commissioning to be carried out by themselves in order to activate the warranty, and audit the quality of the installation during the commissioning, approving or not the installation.
A correct installation, including small material (multi-layer piping, keys, protection panels, etc.) of first quality should cost, at least, 2,500 € if it is done correctly.
Generation
When we talk about generation, we are referring to all the energy that comes from the photovoltaic system. Our experience tells us that generating 150% of the energy required in a house is optimal.
Why are we talking about 150%?
The main reason is because aerothermal energy, especially in its heating side, is mainly consumed in the months when there is less sun and more cold and if there is enough roof, it is convenient to oversize the generation in summer so that with a good battery you can take that surplus to the months of lower production.
If we rescue the previous example, and we count on having enough roof to install, we can make a configuration of 12 panels (of 610 Wp of high quality, with an efficiency of 23.6%) and we will be talking about a total cost of 6,640 (VAT included).
Availability
When we talk about availability, we talk about batteries. As you know, there are physical, virtual and pseudo-physical batteries. In this way, all that surplus energy that we have produced in the previous point can be stored and consumed in the moments that solar energy is not being generated.
Nowadays, the price of storage, including protections, installation labor and wiring (up to 15m) can represent an investment of 4,070 ¤ (VAT included) for a 5 kWh battery or 6,770 ¤ for a 10 kWh battery..
Let's recap...
We have 15.050€ of the aerothermal system + 6.640€ of the extended photovoltaic system + a battery of 4.074€. This gives us a total of 25.7640€.
Yes, it's a lot of money, but don't panic it gets better now.
Once we have these 3 aspects in consideration and a total price estimation, the million dollar question comes...
3. Why choose photovoltaics?
You have reached the most important point to convince your customers that Photovoltaics is a safe bet for the future. These are some of the arguments that will help you to outline your sales pitch and make it much easier to close your sale.
1. What is the return on investment?
First of all, let's add to your sales pitch the existing aids for 2024, IBI and IRPF, in this section.
Continuing with the example, we could say that the house has an IBI of 900€ per year and a reduction of 50% for the next 3 years. This means a total reduction of 1.350€.
The deduction available during this 2024 of the IRPF in the state quota, can be up to 40% of the investment and with a maximum of 15.000€ of investment (5.000€ x year at 40% then 2.000€ in three exercises). Therefore, the deduction of €6,000 would apply.
Combining the above, a total deduction of €7,350 is obtained, therefore the ROI would be 4 years.
2. Your customer reduces energy consumption
The following example shows how the annual consumption can be reduced to its maximum.
It has been possible to annual consumption has been reduced by 78%, from 20,500 kWh to 4,445 kWh with a photovoltaic installation.
3. Your customer saves on electricity bills
The fact that your customer has managed to reduce its consumption by up to 78% will have an impact on its energy bill.
With a standard electricity tariff, a standard gas tariff, and raising the contracted power of the house to +3 kW, this would be the savings:
The annual savings is 72%, or rather, €2,652!
(These calculations have been studied by Atrenti and in their latest blog they elaborate on the examples. ATRENTi's team helps you to visualize the benefits of photovoltaics as a project, turning technical solutions into expected annual savings).
4. No sizing errors are made
Finally, it is not the same to make a single installation project that includes photovoltaic and aerothermal energy, as it is to make two separate projects at different times.
If we had installed photovoltaics with the sole purpose of reducing the initial electricity bill, we would have invested €3,928. Later, when installing the aerothermal system, we would have had to expand the installation by adding 8 more 460 Wp panels (up to the 12 of the initial design). This translates into a new investment of 5,495 €, whose final cost, adding the first investment gives us a total of 9,423 €.
If we install the solar panels taking into account that we will carry out a photovoltaic project, according to the calculations, we will have saved a total of €2,783.
Comparing both examples, one of the advantages your customer takes away is a saving of 2'783 €!
If, after all these arguments, you still haven't convinced your client, you can ask him: How much is it worth to be able to sleep peacefully in the face of possible escalations of war in other parts of the world that would generate skyrocketing fossil fuel prices?
In short...
Good for you, good for your customers.
Photovoltaics represents a comprehensive solution capable of efficiently optimizing energy generation, demand and storage in homes. Through proper sizing and design, this technology can generate annual savings of up to 72% in energy consumption, with a return on investment of only 4 years.
4. Designing and installing with Wattwin
Combining the installation of aerothermal energy with solar panels is a smart decision, as both systems enhance the benefits they already offer in terms of energy savings and emissions reduction.
If you are an installation professional and you already include the installation of aerothermal energy in your services or you want to do it, in Wattwin we want to be your ally in the implementation and commissioning of your projects.
Wattwin emphasizes the importance of having advanced and accurate design tools to make your work more efficient and effective. Our aerothermal designer will guide you through the entire process to create projects with a specific and optimized approach to ensure maximum efficiency in each of them.
Simplify your work routine and provide your customers with the highest quality sustainable energy solutions.
What's next? Book a free session where our experts will advise you and help you simplify your day-to-day life and scale your business.
Grow your business with Wattwin
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