PV investors will finally get their electricity cash
A PV system uses solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity.
Families who forked out hundreds of euros on a photovoltaic system will finally see their investment paying off when they start receiving bills crediting them for the amount of electricity they fed the national grid.
The software to register photovoltaic systems in line with the regulating feed-in tariff legislation is at long last up-and-running and families are now receiving bills with the units of electricity produced credited to their account.
A spokesman for the Finance Ministry, which is responsible for the Water Services Corporation and ARMS Ltd, the company which took over collecting revenue for WSC and Enemalta, said owners of PV systems have started receiving updated bills.
Nearly €6 million has been paid out in grants, through various schemes partly financed by the EU, for the installation of photovoltaic panels for the production of electricity from sunlight.
This amount does not include the scheme offered by Malta Enterprise to companies that wanted to invest in green energy systems.
The total capacity of photovoltaic systems installed in Malta so far have a total capacity of 6.6MWp of electricity which is being fed directly into the national grid.
Families who invested in a photovoltaic system had to face several delays, which included the installation of the export meters.
General Workers’ Union directives for Enemalta employees affected the installation of these meters. When the directives were lifted, the employees were faced with a backlog and had to work around the clock to recoup the time lost.
But this was not the only delay. There were also delays in the installation of the software which calculates how much electricity is being produced by every system. This meant families were feeding the grid without being compensated.
The photovoltaic system uses solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity.
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m borg
Jan 23rd 2012, 16:58
News for the fat cats. How many families have installed PV? Election is round the corner idiots. Try harder.
Louis Craus
Jan 22nd 2012, 21:00
Election is due
Jimmy Magro
Jan 22nd 2012, 13:05
I have received my first bill after the installation of digital meters on the 11th april, 2011. I had installed the PV panels in December 2010 so the first four months of production remained unpaid.
Now ARMS Limited has issued a bill where the units produced by my PV system is being considered as consumption of electricity. Can someone explain why should my produced electricity be considered as consumption when this is being metered by a seperate meter?
I have raised the issue with CustomerCare but the replies that I have received have complicated the matter than solvoing the matter.
The invoices which customers receive at home have been made so complicated that one needs at least two hours to verify the correctness of the invoices.
I have even requested that I receive a bill on an annual basis for my basement since I consume very little and ARMS have declined this request since they cannot do it. My proposal should have saved us both time and money, and then they say that they receive a performance bonus?
WHY should ARMS Limited issue an invoice every two months for households consuming less than 100euros per year? The system should be made flexible enough to be able to manage the billing process as to make saving out of computerisation.
Christopher Pollard
Jan 23rd 2012, 17:15
As far as I understand it, we will not get any recognition of units generated before the installation of the smart meters. We did benefit from the use of the units though.
If we are on feed in tariffs then the consumption is worked out by taking the three readings that the two meters give. The first meter gives a consumption and an export figure and the second meter a reading of the pv units generated by the panels. To work out the total consumption you have to subtract the export reading from the units generated reading and then add on the consumption reading.
It sounds complicated but once you think about it it begins to make sense! The panels produce electricity units, you use some of these and the rest are exported to the grid. You also use units directly from the grid when the panels aren't producing sufficient energy to meet your demand. So the difference between the units produced and the units exported have been used by you, then you have to add on the units imported directly from the grid and thus you have your total consumption. It is of course slightly more complicated in that you have to subtract the previous readings of each of these figures as well. I use a spreadsheet which makes life simpler.
I have yet to receive a new bill so am on tenterhooks to see if ARMS have it right or not!
Did anyone receive a refund for the installation fee for the new smart meter?
Tonio Bone
Jan 22nd 2012, 12:07
And the electoral campaign is simmering nicely............!
John Portelli
Jan 22nd 2012, 11:57
I have installed PV system on the 9/9/09 and in April i applied to change from the grid to feed in tarrifs this means selling all the units to the grid at 28 cents, seeing that i live in Gozo, but nobody here seems to know anything about it, I have been to Arms Gozo and to ENI Malta with no results I have the contract from the MRA but one group sends you to the other and brushes it off, in the meantime i am losing money on my investment. any suggestions?
A Padovani
Jan 22nd 2012, 10:42
Why is it then that after not receiving a bill since last May when my PV system and Smart meter were installed, this week I receive two reminders simultaneously with a threat to have my water and electricity discontinued within ten days? These reminders have no breakdown so I am as yet in the dark whether the electricity produced by my system has been credited. I have sent 2 e-mails about the matter during this week. I received an automated acknowledgement, but no reply as yet. Moreover, I have been charged interest on this bill which I never received. Will PV investors similarly be paid interest for delayed payments on the electricity they have produced?
Mr Joseph Apap
Jan 22nd 2012, 16:21
if you have an e-ID you can enter the site of ARMS and input your account number and you should be able to see your bills both paid and unpaid
A Padovani
Jan 22nd 2012, 16:32
I have tried that. But the site does not seem to be accepting my e-id, at least for now.
Jay Oatmon
Jan 22nd 2012, 10:11
So who do I contact before I install and pay for my solar panels, to ensure I get my grant?
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