How to produce your own electricity
On October the 17th, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the Platform for a New Energy Model Spain reported that energy poverty affects 10% of the Spanish population and will continue to increase: more than two million families are not able to turn on the heat simply because they cannot afford it.
With 26% of the Spanish workforce unemployed and with substantial pay cuts being suffered by much of the population (7% on average), the continued rises in electricity and gas bills has had a dramatic impact in millions of Spanish households.
This situation, coupled with poor heating systems and bad insulation have pulled more than two million families households into fuel poverty (one in ten citizens), cannot afford the services necessary to meet their domestic energy needs.
Added to that, the difficulties (or inability) to pay the electricity and gas bills have caused more premature deaths a year, mainly elderly, just below to road traffic accidents, according to the Environmental Sciences Association (ACA).
This situation, was reported last winter by the Red Cross and Caritas, and alerted the Environmental Sciences Association (ACA) in view of the results of the study 'Energy Poverty in Spain', more likely than not it will be aggravated by the recent increases in the electricity bill. Families pay 80% more now than they paid 10 years ago using the same amount of energy, while the purchasing power of this part of the population is been reduced the administration does nothing to seek solutions for families with less income.
Energy is a basic service, such as access to water and drainage, and should not be left to the business interests of a few companies.
The Plataforma Association are organizing citizens' protests actions against energy poverty and for a solidarity energy model based on the exploitation of own renewable resources.
Today more than ever, it is essential to use renewable energy sources so that we alleviate external dependence facilitating access to heating and hot water at low prices, in addition facilitating the rehabilitation of buildings with the aid of the administration to encourage energy saving and efficiency.
Citizens must demand the government to propose alternatives and give way to viable solutions.
What are the advantages and disadvantages to produce your own electric in Spain?
A. Against it.
1. Payment tolls to link to the grid system.
The Government believes it is "deeply" unfair for an auto electricity producer not pay a toll for transportation and distribution of its own electricity when connected to the national grid, so that those who do not auto produce electricity should pay the costs of that service. They would be funding the auto consumer. In other words, they would be receiving a grant from the other consumers who do not produce their own electricity, affecting the most vulnerable consumers who would see their bill increased by having to deal with these costs. Therefore, the Spanish government believes that it is necessary to regulate administrative, technical and economically the supply of electric power consumption conditions.
2. In this way, an auto consumer that generates its own electricity but is not connected to the network, only have to pay the investment cost of the installation. They would not have to pay the cost of energy VAT or electricity tax, nor any other costs.
The royal decree regulates the economic conditions applicable to the different modes of consumption, determining the application of both the access tolls to transmission and distribution charges as other costs associated with the system. In that sense, it states that all consumers in all forms of consumption will be required to contribute to the costs of the system if it is totally or partially connected to the Spanish electrical grid system.
Access to the networks distribution of electricity must cover its own costs taking into account the actual use made of them. Irrespective of the mode of consumption that any consumer uses, a fixed access toll will be applied and must be related to the contracted power. There will be no toll for energy self-produced, provided that no use of the network is made.
B. Backup from the entire system.
In the case that a consumer who might be connected to the system using any form of auto consumption will benefit from the support that will get from the entire system, should his system fail for any reason as he can then draw energy from the grid as needed.
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