Solar battery payback: how profitable is SES in Ukraine?

The first thing that people are interested in before deciding to build their own power plant is the payback of the solar battery and the time it will take to get benefits after installation. The increase in demand for alternative energy sources is becoming more noticeable every year. This fact suggests that own station is profitable. 

But it is worth considering the opinion of skeptics who argue that the tariff at which the population sells electricity to the state has been falling in recent years. Given this statement, people’s doubts are quite justified, and the desire to calculate the payback period for solar panels for their own consumption is expedient. Let’s try to make an objective assessment of the economic benefits of our own production of electricity.

What should be taken into account when building a solar power plant and how to achieve a quick payback for solar panels?

The payback period for solar batteries depends in most cases on two factors: the geographical features of the area where the panels are installed, and the duration of the solar period during the year. Assessing the generation of electricity in different regions of Ukraine, it should be noted that the highest figure is observed in the south of the country, in the central and eastern regions it is an order of magnitude lower.

At the design stage of the power plant, we recommend to be guided by:

• exposure and tilt angle of batteries;
• analysis of the climatic conditions of the region (from the number of sunny days to precipitation and wind rose);
• landscape characteristics;
• the degree of shading of the site;
• strength features of the roof, if the possibility of installing batteries on the roof is considered.

Only after studying the factors, depending on which the amount of generated energy is, proceed to the selection of equipment. Here it is important to focus on such a parameter as performance. In simple terms, this is a figure indicating the profit that 1 kW of power can provide. This value determines how effective the investment in the construction of the power plant will be. 

The rated power of the panels in W is indicated by almost all equipment manufacturers. It is calculated based on the fact that 1 sq. meter of the module will provide 1 kW of energy. But this figure is relevant only if the solar panels will operate at a temperature of +25 degrees, and the module itself is oriented to the south. 

Determining the desired power, you need to calculate how much energy is needed to ensure the operation of electrical appliances in the house.

Here is a table for clarity:

Appliance name	How many watts do you need to work	Number of operating hours per day	Consumption per hour (W)
Refrigerator with freezer	250	24	6000
Kettle	1000	0,3	300
Personal Computer	100	4	400
Washing machine	500	1	500
Television	150	6	900

Note that modern-style economy bulbs consume from 20 to 120 W / h, and the simplest radio receiver – at least 8 W / h. 

By multiplying the amount of energy consumed by each appliance by the hours of their operation, and then adding up all the indicators, consumers receive the amount of electricity necessary to ensure a comfortable life.

What affects the payback period of solar panels?

Investments in solar panels are profitable a priori. In any case, a private solar power plant will provide homeownership with electricity – and this, with the ever-increasing electricity tariffs in the country, gives a sense of confidence in the future. What is the calculation of the payback of solar panels? – This is the definition of the period for which the funds invested in SES will return.

The time required for the connection of the batteries to justify itself is affected by:

• installation location;
• intensity of solar radiation;
• the amount of energy consumed;
• cost and technical parameters of equipment;
• availability of manufacturer’s guarantees for production. 

You need to know that the feed-in tariff coefficient varies depending on the place of installation – power plants on roofs, facades or on the ground bring different profits. 

What is the calculation of the payback of solar panels based on?

Note that payback is an important criterion specifically for network SPPs that do not accumulate energy. Their work is parallel to the centralized network. For stand-alone and hybrid power plants, the main evaluation criterion is not the payback period, but the reliability and independence that investment in solar panels provides.

A detailed payback calculation is based on three factors:

• total costs for the installation of solar power plants;
• current electricity tariff;
• the amount of resource produced by the station.

Usually solar panels pay off in 3-5 years, but if equipment with minimal power is installed at an unreasonably high price, it will pay off in 8-10 years. 

How do they earn in different regions of Ukraine at solar stations?

Solar energy business in Ukraine is quite real. When buying solar panels, the payback is calculated first of all, and the possible profit is considered immediately after that. The feed-in tariff rate in Ukraine is pegged to the Euro rate and amounts to 0.163 EUR. Experts say that you can earn 2 or even 3 times more from SES than the investment amounted to.

To ensure the payback of solar panels and start making a profit, it is enough to install modules with a power of 10 kW. Depending on how much energy the selected system produces, between 10 and 14 MW of electricity will be generated per year.

In the sunny regions of Ukraine (Odessa, Kherson and Mykolaiv regions), SPP owners earn up to €5,443 per year. This figure will remain until 2025, and in subsequent years, up to 2030, it will be €4,605. In the northern regions, income is less, but even there, the profit will exceed the investment by two times, subject to a 20-year operation of the equipment.

Finally, we note that self-respecting companies offering solar panels and their installation make an accurate calculation of investments, payback and possible income with proper operation.