What is solar energy and why does it perform so well in the Canary Islands?
Solar energy converts sunlight into electricity through panels installed on your roof. Here in Tenerife, with more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year and a stable climate all year round, an installation pays for itself faster than in almost anywhere else in Spain. Have questions about how it works? We'll answer them.
Save on your bill
Generate your own electricity and cut your bill by around 50% with panels alone, or more if you add batteries.
Build up surplus
What you don't use turns into credit that's deducted from your bills.
100% renewable energy
Clean, emission-free, and kind to the Canarian environment.
As well as cutting your bill, a solar installation reduces your reliance on the grid, adds value to the property and cuts CO₂ emissions.
Types of self-consumption
Grid-connected installations. These combine your panels with the normal electricity supply, so you never run out of power. They come in two types:
- Direct self-consumption: you use the energy the moment you generate it. If you need more, you draw it from the grid; if you have a surplus, it's fed in and offset on your bill.
- Self-consumption with physical batteries: you store the electricity you don't use to spend it at night. It's the combination that saves the most, up to 80-90% of the consumption portion.
- Virtual battery: doesn't store electricity, it stores the euro value of what you feed into the grid, as accumulated credit you can even use on other bills in your name. We explain it on the self-consumption surplus page.
Off-grid installations. Not connected to the grid, designed for farms or rural areas where connecting is very expensive. They include batteries to guarantee a 24-hour supply, and sometimes a backup generator.
Self-consumption surplus
What you generate and don't use is fed into the grid and deducted from your bill. With a virtual battery, that credit builds up in euros instead of being lost every month, and you can spend it on other supplies in your name too.
Uses of solar self-consumption
Electricity
For all your home's daily consumption.
Climate control
To cool or heat your home or business without pushing up the bill.
Hot water
With real savings from the first month.
Lighting
More sustainable and cheaper.
Grants for self-consumption in the Canary Islands
There are grants from the Government of the Canary Islands, co-funded with FEDER and Next Generation EU funds, for installing self-consumption systems. We take care of applying for them on your behalf.
[PENDING: amount and conditions in force at publication time]
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth it if I'm out of the house all day?
Yes, and it's the most common concern. Even if you're not there to use what you generate around midday, that energy isn't lost: it's fed into the grid and turned into credit in your favour. With a virtual battery, that credit builds up and you spend it when you really consume, at night or on weekends.
How much roof space is needed?
It depends on your consumption, but as an order of magnitude a typical home can be covered with just a few panels and far less roof space than people imagine. In the assessment we tell you how many fit and how much they'll produce on your specific roof.
What maintenance do the panels need?
Very little. They have no moving parts, so it's enough to check them occasionally and keep them clean, which matters more here than usual because of Saharan dust.
Does it work for a shop or a warehouse, not just homes?
Yes, and it often works out even better: a business consumes right in the middle of the day, which is when the installation produces the most. We go into detail on the solar panel installation page.