More than 70% of homeowners now aim to generate enough solar power to fully cover their monthly electricity needs, striving for energy independence amid rising costs. However, not everyone can afford the upfront investment. Many are turning to bank loans, opting for installment plans to finance the installation of solar panels as they seek long-term savings and stability in an increasingly volatile energy market.
 
From July 1, with the elimination of the cap, the price per kWh will be between 1.4 and 1.6 lei for most energy suppliers, which leads to a doubling of bills. Romanians install, from their own funds, photovoltaic panels of at least 5-6 kW and up to 15 kW, investing between 20,000 and over 50,000 lei in such systems, to reduce their energy bill by at least 70%.

For example, a 5-6 kW photovoltaic system with 5 kW storage, which costs 20,000 lei (4,000 euros), can provide total autonomy to a household with an average consumption of 300-500 kW/month.

"As energy has become more expensive in recent years, Romanians want to take action early, because they fear new increases in electricity prices and expect a more expensive life in general. Those with energy bills between 500 lei and over 1,200 lei per month are the most interested in photovoltaic panels because from July 1 they will pay 1,000 lei, respectively over 2,400 lei per electricity bill, amounts that will affect their personal budget. There are people who live in houses with many consumers, maybe even an electric car, and they want to have comfort and get rid of the worry about energy bills. They order the necessary photovoltaic panels in advance, in many cases, and a storage battery, to be installed and put into operation by the end of June. Romanians have done their calculations and know that they will pay more for energy not only in the short term but especially in the long term, when the gas price cap is eliminated and when new price increases are possible. And with an investment of 5,000-10,000 euros in photovoltaic panels, which they can recover in a maximum of 4-5 years, Romanians can be reassured in the long term”, explains Albert Soare, founder of Kilowat, a company that installs photovoltaic systems and other green energy solutions, authorized by ANRE.

Who invests in photovoltaic panels - 3 out of 10 Romanians buy them in installments

Romanians who invest in photovoltaic plants are families with average and above-average incomes, who live in houses of at least 80-100 sq m and have a high number of energy consumers in the household. They usually live in urban and peri-urban areas, especially Bucharest-Ilfov, Cluj, Sibiu, Timișoara, and Constanța, being oriented towards modern solutions for improving energy efficiency in the household.
 
Most of them want to achieve energy independence. Specifically, 7 out of 10 homeowners request solar panels for high energy production, to cover their monthly consumption, along with storage batteries. Many of them also have or plan to buy an electric car and ensure maximum compliance, and in the future install heat pumps to achieve total energy independence.
 
“There are also Romanians who do not have the full amount for the purchase of photovoltaic plants and resort to bank loans to partially or fully cover the investment of 5,000-10,000 euros in photovoltaic systems. According to our data, 3 out of 10 homeowners buy solar panels in installments, and we also make this facility available to them. The fact is that interest in photovoltaic systems has exploded, regardless of the chosen financing source. For many Romanians, the question is not 'if', but 'when' to install photovoltaic panels.
 
In addition, it is also a good time to switch to green energy because at the moment the prices of photovoltaic panels are at a historic low, with Romania having the lowest prices at European level for these systems. This encourages Romanians to install storage batteries and to buy solutions that are adapted to the changes in consumption in their lives in the future, such as cars, electric scooters or scooters, and other goods that offer them increased comfort. The fact is that Romanians think long-term”, adds Albert Soare, founder of Kilowat.
Representatives of the installation company estimate that more and more Romanians will invest in systems to switch to green energy by July 1, when bills will double.

Photovoltaic panels are considered a long-term investment by Romanians, given that they have a lifespan of over 25 years, and the cost of the purchase can be recovered in a few years.