Net Billing (Business) - Energy Communities
Net Billing
Law 5106/2024 (Government Gazette 63A, 1.5.2024) brought about significant changes regarding self-consumption. Specifically, it abolished the institutional tool of energy offset (net-metering) that was in force until recently, preferring simultaneous offset (net-billing) as the main institutional tool for self-consumption . Net-metering applications are now only for professional farmers who install systems up to 30 kWp
In net-billing, the offset between produced and consumed energy is done in real time. Any excess energy is injected into the grid and compensated for twenty years based on the wholesale market price at the time of injection.
A business can also do virtual net-billing, either by itself or by participating in an Energy Community. In the case of virtual net-billing, generating stations can be located in any Region, regardless of where the consumption facilities are located.
Because the biggest problem faced by RES investments today is finding electrical space to connect to the grid, the legislation also provides the possibility of connecting with zero energy injection to the grid, so that the company itself self-consumes all the energy produced. This scheme is ideal when the rate of simultaneous production and consumption of energy is high. Otherwise, the self-consumer can add batteries to the system to increase the synchronization rate. Indeed, in order to promote the idea of self-consumption with zero injection (which facilitates the networks), the Ministry of the Interior is expected to soon launch a program to support businesses that will make use of this institutional tool.
Helapco's guide on self-consumption of energy.
Energy Communities
With Law 5037/2023, two important Directives of the European Union were integrated into the national regulatory framework (the 2018/2001 on RES which established, among others, the Renewable Energy Communities, and the 2019/944 on electricity markets which established Citizens' Energy Communities). At the same time, the existing Energy Communities of Law 4513/2018 will continue to operate.
The philosophy of the new legislation is that Communities primarily serve the needs of their members through self-consumption. In the case of the Energy Communities, the so-called Virtual Synchronized Netting ( virtual net-billing) is now applied.
Minimum number of Community members:
- Thirty (30)
- Twenty (20) if the Community is based in a municipality of an island region with a population of less than 3,100 inhabitants.
- Fifteen (15) in case at least 15 Small and Medium Enterprises participate.
- Three (3) if at least one OTA participates and the other two members are either other OTAs or businesses that are 100% owned by OTAs
Flexibility in the choice of installation location
Especially for Energy Communities, generating stations can be located in any region, regardless of where the consumption facilities and the headquarters of the Community are located and furthermore the consumption facilities do not have to be all located in the same region, subject to relevant proximity arrangements of the members of the Community.
Especially for cases of the previous paragraph, where fifty percent (50%) plus one of the members have proximity to the Region of Attica, the production station may also be installed in a neighboring region.
Guide to creating a new Energy Community.
Source: www.helapco.gr
