Residential solar in Madrid shows strong potential, with self-sufficiency rates ranging from 30% in high-rise areas to over 70% in suburban homes. This highlights the growing role of residential solar in both urban and suburban energy systems.
Rooftop Solar Potential in Madrid
Residential solar is becoming a key player in the energy landscape, and Madrid is proving this with impressive self-consumption rates. A recent study from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and the Centre for Energy, Environmental, and Technological Research (CIEMAT) shows that self-sufficiency rates from rooftop solar panels in eight districts of Madrid range from 30% to over 70%.
Rooftop solar panels (Image: Collected)
The research, published in Energy and Buildings, focuses on the capacity of residential solar in different neighborhoods of Madrid. It examines the differences between single-family homes and high-rise apartment buildings. In suburban areas with single-family homes, self-sufficiency rates from solar energy can exceed 70%.
In contrast, urban areas with high-rise buildings typically see a self-sufficiency rate of around 30%. This contrast stems from the amount of roof space available for solar panels and the energy consumption per household.
How Self-Sufficiency Was Calculated
The researchers analyzed the ratio of electricity generated by rooftop solar systems to the total electricity consumed by households. This ratio is known as self-sufficiency potential. To calculate this, they used solar cadastres, LiDAR data, and meteorological information. This helped estimate the amount of solar energy each neighborhood could produce annually.
The team also assessed electricity consumption based on data from the Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE) and Eurostat. They considered the electricity needs for lighting and basic household appliances like refrigerators, televisions, washing machines, and computers in a typical 100 m² dwelling. These estimates did not include energy used for heating, cooling, or hot water, which could lower the self-sufficiency rate if taken into account.
The Impact of Urban Design on Solar Efficiency
The study found that building height and design significantly affect the effectiveness of residential solar. Taller buildings, with more floors, have higher energy needs but less roof space to install solar panels. This creates a challenge in urban areas, where the available roof space is insufficient to meet the energy demands of all the occupants.
In contrast, single-family homes have more roof space per household. This means they can generate more electricity relative to their energy consumption, thus leading to higher self-sufficiency rates. This difference is why suburban homes can achieve over 70% self-sufficiency, while densely populated areas may only reach 30%.
The study also looked at historic centers in Madrid, where self-sufficiency potential varied widely from 10% to 90%. This variation is due to the unique design of historic buildings and the restrictions that come with preserving their architectural value.
The researchers emphasized the importance of building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems in these areas. BIPV systems allow solar panels to be integrated into the architecture, thereby making them a valuable tool for balancing energy generation with the preservation of historical buildings.
The Future of Residential Solar in Madrid
While the study focused on annual electricity consumption and generation, the researchers noted that real-time data would provide a more accurate picture of the potential for residential solar.
Solar systems connected to the grid must balance energy generation and consumption at every moment. As a result, self-consumption rates typically range from 20% to 40% for solar systems without storage.
For more comprehensive results, the researchers suggest analyzing daily electricity generation and consumption data for each building. This would allow for better optimization of solar installations and increase self-consumption rates.
Residential solar offers a promising solution for energy self-sufficiency in Madrid. Whether in suburban single-family homes or urban high-rise buildings, rooftop solar can significantly reduce dependence on non-renewable energy.
The research conducted in Madrid shows that with the right approach, residential solar can achieve high self-sufficiency rates, thereby helping to drive the city’s transition to clean energy. As more homes adopt solar power, Madrid can become a model for sustainable urban energy systems.