Those with solar panels can switch energy suppliers just like other consumers. For the panels it will have a contract with GSE to sell the excess energy produced. However, he will probably also need a normal contract to have energy in the hours in which the panels do not produce it (typically after sunset). As the specialist accountant Salvatore de Benedictis explains, “the contract with GSE and that for obtaining energy from a supplier are separate. We can change operator without affecting the first contract”.
“For those who have a photovoltaic system, savings come from the possibility of maximizing self-consumption and, therefore, from the concentration of consumption in the hours in which the panels produce the most energy. To reduce bills it is necessary to minimize the cost of energy taken from the network (especially if there is no accumulation system). In this case, therefore, it may be useful to choose a two-hour or three-hour rate”, advised SosTariffe to Repubblica.
“The change of supplier, with the transition from Tutela to the Free Market or from one operator to another on the Free Market, is an option available to consumers who already have a photovoltaic system and does not involve the loss of any incentives or the need to particular bureaucratic procedures”, they explain from SosTariffe. Changing operator allows you to minimize the cost of energy drawn from the network, maximizing savings.
Those who already have a photovoltaic system and are entering the Free Market, with the transition from the Protection, must carefully evaluate the tariff to choose. “Unlike Tutela, where the cost per kWh of energy is established by ARERA and updated periodically, on the Free Market it is up to the end customer to choose the tariff by evaluating this parameter”, explain SosTariffe.
There are several aspects to consider: the cost per kWh of energy and the way in which this changes over time must be taken into consideration (the tariff can be at a fixed price, for at least 12 months, or a variable price indexed to the PUN, the single price nationally, with monthly updates). During the first phase of the war in Ukraine, the variable price increased many times, but now it has fallen to a level slightly higher than the average fixed trade tariff.
As explained by the SosTariffe observatory, the fixed cost of the supply must also be evaluated, independent of consumption and generally equal to around 10 euros per month (but the differences between suppliers can be significant).
Then there is the distinction between single-hour and multi-hour rates. Unlike what happens in Tutela, where there is only a two-hourly option, on the Free Market there is the possibility of opting for a three-hourly tariff, with an even lower price at night (from 11pm to 7am), on Sundays and on public holidays. By evaluating these factors it is possible to choose the best offer.
Those who have solar panels should therefore choose downward modulated rates in the evening. It should also favor offers with low fixed costs. “For consumers who draw little energy, in fact, this contribution assumes a significant weight in the bill and it is convenient to choose tariffs with a reduced fixed cost: on the market there are tariffs with a fixed contribution of around 5-6 euros and tariffs that reach up to 20 euros per month. In one year, therefore, the difference in expenditure linked to the fixed contribution can become significant, especially for those who already have a photovoltaic system and can minimize withdrawals from the grid”, explain the observatory.