Tweet
Doing up my house and we've hit a snag. It's obligatory to have a solar panel for hot water which is no problem, however the tank (according to the rules) cannot be seen (historic area) and the minimum permitted size of an internal one is "huge". Now, we've found a panel make that has an integrated rectangular tank slung underneath the panel and we're thinking about using that. Anyone here got any experience of these and can offer good/bad points and gotchas? I'd put the URL but that would seem like advertising the things. TIA
-
-
Need more details. How about some literature, a co. name or some pictures. Asy you describe it, if the tank is rectangular, it may not be pressurized meaning it is an indirect system and/or not linked to the dwelling's (pressurized) H2O supply. -
The website is...https://www.solcrafte.com
What was going to happen was, we were going to stick a couple of normal water panels on the roof, leave the pipes dangling down the service shaft and the architect was going to sign it off. We're installing a proper natural gas driven heating and hot water system and this "green" public servant demanded POS was just to comply with the regs, but the architect now has cold feet. Personally, I'd stick some photovoltaics on the roof to drive an electric water heater but (obviously because the building is in an historic area) that's not allowed. Don't know anything about the details of this thing or how it operates, the heating engineer knows all that stuff,; I'm just the schmuck with the bill to pay. Apologies for the bad mood!Comment
-
Never saw your reply...deep breath... I have no real idea but the Spanish government absolutely hates pv arrays and it loves centrally controlled infrastructure. A few years ago they brought out laws that basically made it impossible to profitably build a solar array field or do anything else that might endanger their energy mates back pockets...oops! The top fine they imposed for "badness" was greater than the fine for allowing a radioactive leak at a nuclear power plant! Something like 150,000,000 euros. Anyway, now the EU has a large wedge available for greenness, it's suddenly all the rage if you're in the right circles...if you get my drift.
Upshot is regarding PV on buildings in Spain is...
Refurbishment generally: Hot water solar panel mandatory, tank interior or exterior.
Refurbishment culturally sensitive: As above but tank hidden.
PV array as public infrastructure: Hell yeah.
PV array as private infrastructure Go to hell..
PV array in the countryside: You must be an officially registered farmer (Modelo 036 + DARP report) with a specifically approved need.(pump water etc) and if you want to put the pv array on a roof you need the local council and the environment department's approval and if you want to put it on the ground you need a DARP approval on top of those 2. DARP is the dept of agriculture.
It took me 3 years to get a permit for 5.2m2 of panel.to put on a roof and that needed an architect, an official project, an environmental impact report, a soil engineer and an official budget and spec document from the supplier. A screen dump of the order form web page isn't good enough...... and the resultant permit still has more conditions than you can shake a stick at. (e.g. GEL batteries)
HTH!!
PS...I won't even go into registering an existing borehole. That took 5 years and it's still biting my ass.Comment
-
Can't (won't) get to that website as it requires me to accept cookies. I can't (won't) do that as a matter of policy.
From what you write, unless there's more to the story, from what you've written it would seem that solar energy systems, either thermal or PV are not viable option - at least on roofs - due to zoning/building requirements that limit options.Comment
-
Don't understand the first bit about cookies but no worries, I always reject them too, which is easier in the EU now because all cookie boxes must have a "Reject all" option.. Re panels, the situation is changing here and to be honest I haven't kept up with the latest news. There are adverts on tv now (last 6 months) for solar installs and the news always seems to carry something about some cooperative in a city setting up panels on their factory roof or whatever. Last I heard was that if you installed solar panels or had any pv production (in town) it had to be grid tied and you had to give the power produced to the energy company for free. The bit about pv in cultural areas still stands. Anyway, all I know is that pv in the woods is "urbanisme" and you need to complete the permit process as I described. There is a very clear division of land use in Spain. All people live in towns and the countryside is for farming or nature. There is almost no concept of a country house, as in house, which leads to all sorts of real estate shenanigans.
The typical "country house" scenario is that a (usually) foreigner buys a "country house" (thanks mostly to Google which translates "casa de campo" as "country house" rather than "field hut") that has no power, water, sewage or legal address. The buyer rebuilds/extends the place, adds water via a borehole, adds solar panels and some septic tank and then all hell lets loose. when the country rangers show up, fine them, take them to court and get it all demolished.. Then the subsurface water people move in and do the same for taking water illegally. Then the surface water people and do the same for polluting the environment via the septic tank. etc etc
Anyway, back to panels..
In town it might be possible now but I don't think so without a permit which is a major hassle. Last time I checked was 2018, so I'll ask the council or my architect..
In town classed as culturally significant, pv is illegal.. (as of now)
Outside town, you have very, very little chance without major and costly paperwork.(as of mid 2021).
Comment
-
Ok.. Panel laws 2022. These laws are per village/town and the laws for my village are still being compiled.
Anyway, had a chat the other day with the architect I use and the results are...
In an urban area
PV is now allowed but panels must be fitted flush to the roof tiles.
For "protected" areas, no decision has been made yet regarding pv panels.
In the countryside
Panels need a permit and you must be a documented registered farmer and demonstrate a specific need when applying for a permit if you want a "yes".
However, the EU has now issued rules (due to Mr Putin playing with his tanks) that state..
All EU public buildings must have pv panels by 2025.
All EU new homes must have panels by 2030.
HTH
Comment
Comment