PCA: using affordable and sustainable solar power together
Are you looking for an economical and sustainable energy supply for an apartment block or a residential or commercial property? Then opt for photovoltaics in conjunction with a private consumption alliance (PCA). A PCA offers both the owner of a photovoltaic system and the residents numerous lucrative advantages.
How does a PCA work?
Self-consumption means either using self-generated energy directly yourself or making it available to others on site without using the grid operator's grid. With a PCA, you sell your self-generated solar power directly to residents or rented businesses on site. It is possible to set up a PCA if at least ten per cent of the energy requirement is covered locally.
The members of a PCA share a grid connection and act as a single customer vis-à-vis the distribution grid operator. The electricity costs are billed independently within the community.
Primeo Energie is happy to offer you comprehensive support in setting up and operating a PCA.
The advantages of a PCA
A PCA is worthwhile for all parties and increases the attractiveness of residential and commercial properties in many respects:
- Your investment has a shorter amortisation period and generates a higher return. The building's own energy supply adds value to your property.
- Locally produced solar power is also cheaper than electricity from the grid, as there are no grid costs and charges. This also makes owners and residents less dependent on the electricity market and price fluctuations.
- Sharing or charging solutions for e-cars or e-bikes can be easily integrated. They thus pave the way for e-mobility.
- In addition, the ecological and sustainable power supply from your own roof is an important contribution to climate protection.
Our full-spectrum PCA service
We support you in planning, founding and managing your private consumption alliance and look after all activities for you, from consulting all the way to operation and billing.
- High level of expertise: energy industry expertise, 50 years of experience in site development, access to an extensive consultancy pool of specialists
- Comprehensive services: energy procurement, storage solutions, measurement and data storage, real-time visualisations, customer and billing services
- Smart charging and sharing solutions: E-cars, e-bikes, e-scooters
- Economic support: attractive financing options
References
Frequently asked questions
The very word explains what characterises private consumption: According to Art. 16 of the Energy Act (EnA), self-produced energy must either be used by the operator of the system itself and/or be made available to other local consumers directly. The term "private consumption" ceases to apply as soon as the operator's grid connects the system with consumers.
Various consumption scenarios exist:
- The system produces exactly as much energy as is required over the same period. Additional energy from the grid is not fed in.
- The system generates more energy than is currently required. This can then either be stored or fed into the grid. Feed-in is remunerated accordingly by the grid operator.
- The system generates less electricity than is currently needed. In this case, energy can be taken from the storage system or from the grid.
With your own photovoltaic system, you basically generate electricity free of charge – at least you don’t need to pay for energy, grid use, grid surcharge and system services. In addition, there are no charges or payments for the community. You pay only for the additional energy you obtain from the grid.
Where does surplus solar power from your own photovoltaic system go to? You don’t have to worry about that with a PCA: If you don’t want to sell your excess energy on the electricity market, the distribution system operator will accept it from you and pay for it accordingly – in fact it is obliged to do so.
The distribution system operator treats a PCA like an individual consumer: Electricity fed from the PCA into the grid counts as a return delivery is metered and remunerated accordingly.
The following conditions apply when setting up a PCA: The self-produced energy must equal at least 10% of the energy required locally. Several property owners can join forces in the immediate vicinity of the energy-producing system. Or property owners pass on the energy to local tenants, who can, however, choose freely: They can join the private consumption alliance to cover their own needs or remain with their grid operator. At a later date, the tenant can withdraw from the private alliance only if the property owner has failed to adequately fulfil its basic obligation. By the way, this also applies if a tenant changes.
Yes. Private consumption is possible in conjunction with photovoltaics, biomass, and wind installations – regardless of the size of the respective production facility.
Yes, in every case. The decisive factor is for the self-produced energy to be used locally and not flow through the grid of the distributor. "Locally" is clearly defined as:
• Adjacent plots of land, at least one of which adjoins the one on which the production system is located
• Plots of land separated only by a road, railway line, or watercourse – if the respective property owners have given their consent
