Are solar panels still profitable?

2023-05-15 12:39:00

Photovoltaic panels on a roof ©Belga Image

With the energy crisis, many Belgians have decided to invest in solar panels. According Purchasing test, when electricity prices were at their highest in 2022, it was possible to pay for its photovoltaic panels in just three years. But since then, the market has calmed down and electricity prices have fallen. So, are solar panels still profitable in 2023?

Difference between regions

It is actually difficult to make forecasts on a market as unstable as that of electricity and solar panels: “ It is always an investment whose exact return remains unpredictable. But can we estimate certain trends says Olivier Lesage, energy expert at Purchasing test.

In March 2023, it is in Flanders that the amortization time is the longest: 10 to 15 years! In Brussels, it takes six to eight years: “In Brussels, the average price of electricity is higher (0.35 €/kWh) and the feed-in tariff is slightly lower (0.08 €/kWh). But, unlike Flanders, owners of solar panels there still receive green certificates “, adds the expert.

In Wallonia, the yield is similar to that of Brussels. Walloons do not receive green certificates but they can keep the meter running backwards: ” This advantage is all the more interesting as electricity is more expensive in the south of the country (€0.40/kWh) than in Flanders and Brussels. ».

Factors to consider

If you want to have solar panels installed, the first factors to take into consideration are the purchase price, since it determines the yield and the amortization period, and the orientation of your panels: ” The first thing to calculate is how many kilowatts peak (kWp) you need […] There was a time when installation cost more than 6,000 euros per kilowatt peak. Since then, prices have fallen sharply and are currently between 1,200 and 2,000 euros per kilowatt peak. The larger the installation, the lower the price per kilowatt-peak ».