Financing Your Solar Project
With electricity prices quickly rising in Costa Rica (over the last 25 years the average annual increase was 12%, and this number is only expected to rise), it is becoming more and more attractive to switch to solar energy! Solar energy systems will take a particular period to return your initial investment, depending on the size of your system and your level of energy consumption. We can calculate the expected time for the return of your investment, simply ask us to include this service as we arrange the quote for your project.
Is the initial investment of going solar an obstacle for you and you are looking for a way to finance your solar energy project? By using solar energy you will save money in the long run, therefore it can be just as interesting to purchase a system through credit. In general, we can assist you with obtaining the following types of financing:
Private funds
When you are able to purchase the solar product and are looking for a good investment opportunity.
- Large initial expenditure for the purchase of your solar energy system.
- Down payment in cash or by bank transfer is required before the installation of your product can take place.
- Using private funds is a good option for homes, and uncommon for businesses.
When can I expect return of investment through private funds?
Return of Private Funds
- For solar water heaters the expected return of investment is relatively quick: around 4 to 6 years (for 150L size) or 3 to 5 years (for 200L size), but always depends on your consumption.
- For off-grid systems it is impossible to speak of return of investment, as you will not save money but instead create access to electricity.
- For on-grid systems and rising electricity prices, your investment is likely to return within 6 to 10 years. We present the following graph:
To get a clear idea of when return of investment for on-grid solar panels can be reached, we compare the total cost of your current situation with high electricity bills and the situation where your house is equipped with an on-grid solar energy system:
Let us explain what happens here:
- Without using solar energy, you will receive higher and higher electricity bills each year due to the rise in electricity prices.
- If you decide to invest in solar your electricity bill will decrease to a minimum, and these savings are expected to lead to a return of your investment after 5 to 10 years (depending on the size of your project).
- Given that the expected lifespan of on-grid solar panels is between 25 and 50 years, switching to solar is a great investment!
Credit financing
through National Banks
When you have enough assets to put up as collateral and you have open business relations with your bank.
- Your bank will require some sort of collateral, which can be a trust or mortgage depending on your specific conditions.
- Since you have a credit history and your bank has various credit options and guarantees, it is important to study your project as a unique case.
- We can offer you our expertise and will help you find the financing with monthly payments that best suits your needs.
Credit financing
through private investors
When you have an excellent credit history and are investing in solar for your business.
- Private investors require you have a spotless credit history and are starting a solar project for your business of at least 10kW.
- Your case is unique and will be studied on an individual basis. In some cases, a mortgage or trust is not required, and a bill of exchange can be sufficient to obtain a credit.
- We can offer you our expertise and will help you find the financing with monthly payments that best suits your needs.
When can I expect return of investment through credit financing?
Return on Credit Financing
- For solar water heaters the expected return of investment is relatively quick: around 5 to 7 years (for 150L size) or 4 to 6 years (for 200L size), but always depends on your consumption.
- For off-grid systems it is impossible to speak of return of investment, as you will not save money but instead create access to electricity.
- For on-grid systems and rising electricity prices, your investment is likely to return within 6 to 14 years. The details depend your financing plan (see below), however the expected lifespan of on-grid solar panels is between 25 and 50 years!
The return of investment for on-grid solar panels depend on the conditions and the term of your loan. Each case is unique and it is you who can amend the terms of your financing contact to determine the moment where you can start saving money. For the situation where your business is equipped with an on-grid solar energy system, we distinguish between 3 scenarios:
Scenario 1: Your monthly payments ≈ your current electric bill
In this scenario you will not notice a change in your monthly expenses on electricity, with the big difference that after the financing term ends, the on-grid system will be yours! The return of financing is realized at the end of the term, which due to interest rates is somewhat later than in the case of using private funds. Significant overall savings will typically start after 8 to 12 years.
Scenario 2: Your monthly payments > your current electric bill
The advantage of paying a monthly amount higher than your monthly electricity bill, is that you will finish paying earlier. During the years of the term of your loan, your expenses will be higher than before. However, you will realize significant savings sooner, which will quickly compensate for the expenses during the years before. Significant overall savings will typically start after 6 to 10 years.
Scenario 3: Your monthly payments < your current electric bill
The positive thing about small payments, is that you start saving from the first day! While the savings are not very significant until you pay off the loan, it is true that you can appreciate the savings from the moment the installation is connected to the grid. However, unlike in the previous cases, significant savings are not made for a longer period of time as the term of this credit financing will be longer. Significant overall savings will typically start after 10 to 14 years.