Aluminum plant in Limassol connects 2.5 MW solar power system to grid

President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades has inaugurated the biggest roof solar power system in the country, which will meet almost a third of demand at Muskita Aluminium Industries Ltd.

The electricity-intensive business put online 6,750 panels with 2.5 MW in total, according to reports in the local media. The power facility in Limassol took up 1.35 hectares.

It was installed by Conercon Energy Solutions Ltd., controlled by Lanitis Group of Cos. The subsidiary has 45 MW in photovoltaic units on 4,200 roofs of residential structures, 120 on government buildings and 200 on factories, businesses and on land.

The solar power plant is in the net billing system, which was introduced last year. The asymmetric scheme is in the country’s strategy to take over from net metering, while eventually some projects may have to operate on a strictly commercial level. The argument is that efficiency improvements in construction may make up for a possible slowdown in the expansion of energy from renewable sources.

The industrial firm in the second-largest city in Cyprus and other clients in the net billing regime have 20 minutes to consume the electricity they generated. The volume used from the grid is calculated on a retail basis while for power supplied to the network the client gets avoidance cost credits. They are variable, with more of a wholesale approach, and reflect expenses for maintenance and energy security.

The bills are sent every two months. The said credits are subtracted in the following periods, but there is no compensation in case of a total surplus.

In net metering, consumers pay a sum for what they consumed above own output (not own power usage.) In net billing, all consumed electricity is taxed, PV Magazine writes. The biggest solar power project in Cyprus under net billing is the state university’s upcoming array of 5 MW with 2.35 MWh in storage capacity.