How to finance your solar panel system
The current low prices for solar panels relative to the higher costs of electricity from the grid mean that purchasing a solar system is already a very smart investment even without any subsidies. That's why many people choose to invest some of their savings in solar energy. Sometimes there are additional ways to finance your solar installation.Buying solar panels
If you are thinking about investing in solar then you need to consider a lot of different things. One of the first things to consider is this: Are you buying a product? Or are you making an investment in order to achieve a certain saving? What are the things to take into account when investing in solar panels?
How much do solar panels cost?
The solar panels themselves are the main component of a solar system. There is a wide variety of panels, all with different prices. It's important to bear in mind how much energy a panel can produce over its lifetime, rather than just looking at the price. Our advisors are happy to calculate the return on your investment, rather than simply looking at the costs.
Subsidies
State subsidies for solar panels
The Netherlands currently doesn't have a state wide subsidy program for residential solar panels. The reason is, that the net metering system provides more than sufficient incentive to invest in a solar panel system. Also, the VAT on the initial investement is completely tax deductible.
The situation is different for businesses: They usually cannot use the net metering system since net metering is only available for grid connection points of no more than 3 x 80 Amps. Companies with a grid connection larger than 3 x 80 Amps can make use of the SDE subsidies. SDE stands for Stimulering Duurzame Energieproductie, which means 'Stimulating the Production of Sustainable Energy'
Local subsidies
Some provinces and municiplaties also have local subsides. You can check the provinces' or municiplaities' own websites. Zonnefabriek is happy to help you find out what the local options for subsidy are.
Financing
Tax-deductible mortgage
Installing solar panels is seen as an improvement to your home. If you take out a loan for this investment, then you can deduct the interest on the loan. You can also reserve extra space in your mortgage for solar panels. The interest on the mortgage is also tax deductible.
Loans
If you wish to invest in solar but don't have the spare cash, you can request a loan. There are a variety of green loans on offer for inevestements in sustainability. Our consultants can tell you more about these options.