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Obtaining electricity with solar panels (photovoltaic panels)
Verified 07 December 2021 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Electricity supplier. Enedis is also the operator of the public electricity network and carries out all the technical interventions on this network. Company formerly known as ERDF.
It is possible to obtain electricity from solar panels (or photovoltaic panels) settled on the roof of your house. The electricity obtained may be used for your personal use or sold, in whole or in part, to an electricity supplier. This choice will depend in particular on the technical and administrative obligations to be respected.
What applies to you ?
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To use everything
You can produce electricity and consume it entirely by settling:
- Multiple solar panels (photovoltaic)
These panels capture solar energy and turn it into electricity. They can be attached to your original roof (non-integrated equipment) or integrated as a replacement for the original roof (built-in equipment). In some geographic areas, they can also be settled on a facade or in a garden. - One or multiple inverters
The UPS is a small box attached to a wall as close as possible to the photovoltaic panels. It converts the direct current obtained into alternating current identical to that of the public electricity network and usable at home. - Batteries, if you want to be able to store the electricity you get
- Device for clamping possibly, because your equipment must be sized so that the electricity obtained never exceeds your needs
It is recommended that you use a recognized environmental professional (EGP) to install your solar panels.
To find out the list of professionals, you can help yourself from a directory:
Search for a company with the quality "Recognized Guarantor of the Environment"
An advisor can help you define your project and assess the costs and benefits :
Who shall I contact
Specialist advisors on housing renovation works (France Rénov')
Allows you to be accompanied for free in its renovation work by specialized advisors of France Rénov'
By telephone
0 808 800 700
Open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm. You must have your last tax notice.
Free service + cost of a call
Before settling your solar panels, you need to make a preliminary declaration of works to your town hall.
If you are building a house, the installation of your solar panels must be included on the application for building permit.
FYI
it is recommended to contact your city council to find out if there are any special rules in force in your municipality (example: color of the roof).
Installation costs
The price of the equipment (solar panels, inverter, etc.) and its installation varies. It depends on the following:
- Materials used
- Method of installation (integrated or simply laid panels)
- Installer you use
Operating costs
Once the solar panels are settled, you are required to take out civil liability insurance for this equipment. To do this, you can request a change to your home insurance contract. The amount of your contribution will be reassessed.
FYI
you must regularly maintain your solar panels, as their materials degrade with the weather. In addition, the UPS must be changed approximately every 10 years.
You must sign a convention of self-consumption without injection (CACSI) with the public electricity system operator present in your municipality (in general, Enedis):
Convention for self-consumption without injection for an electricity production installation
The commissioning of your equipment is performed after the receipt by the network manager of your signed agreement.
To use it and sell the surplus
You can produce electricity for your own use and sell what you don’t use by settling:
- Multiple solar panels (photovoltaic)
These panels capture solar energy and turn it into electricity. They can be attached to your original roof (non-integrated equipment) or integrated as a replacement for the original roof (built-in equipment). - One or more inverters
The UPS is a small box attached to a wall as close as possible to the photovoltaic panels. It converts the obtained direct current into alternating current identical to that of the public electricity network.
It is recommended that you use a recognized environmental professional (EGP) to install your solar panels.
To find out the list of professionals, you can help yourself from a directory:
Search for a company with the quality "Recognized Guarantor of the Environment"
Before settling your solar panels, you need to make a preliminary declaration of works to your town hall.
If you are building a house, the installation of your solar panels must be included on the application for building permit.
FYI
it is recommended to contact your city council to find out if there are any special rules in force in your municipality (example: color of the roof).
An advisor can help you define your project, and evaluate the costs and benefits :
Who shall I contact
Specialist advisors on housing renovation works (France Rénov')
Allows you to be accompanied for free in its renovation work by specialized advisors of France Rénov'
By telephone
0 808 800 700
Open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm. You must have your last tax notice.
Free service + cost of a call
Installation costs
The price of the equipment (solar panels and inverter) and its installation varies. It depends in particular on the following:
- Materials used
- Method of installation (integrated or simply laid panels)
- Installer you use
Operating costs
Once the solar panels are settled, you are required to take out civil liability insurance for this equipment. To do this, you can request a change to your home insurance contract. The amount of your contribution will be reassessed.
For the sale of the remaining electricity, you have to pay an annual tax, called Turp: titleContent.
FYI
you must regularly maintain your solar panels, as their materials degrade with the weather. In addition, the UPS must be changed approximately every 10 years.
Revenues from the sale of electricity
You do not pay income tax on the sale of electricity if your equipment meets the following 3 conditions:
- Electricity shall not have a power output greater than 3 kilowatts (kWc)
- Electricity shall be connected to the public network at not more than 2 points
- Electricity shall not be used for the exercise of a professional activity
If one of the 3 conditions is not met, you must pay income tax. These revenues must be reported on your income tax return as Industrial and Commercial Benefits (BIC).
FYI
for equipment with a power output of less than 3 kWc, the electricity obtained may be supplied free of charge.
Investment premium
By deciding to sell your surplus electricity, you can benefit from the investment premium. To do this, your solar panels must have been settled by an EGR installer.
The amount of the premium depends on the power of your equipment.
Equipment Power in Peak Kilowatts (kWc) | Amount of the investment premium |
|---|---|
Less than or equal to 3 kWc | €380/kWc |
Between 3 and 9 kWc | €280/kWc |
Between 9 and 36 kWc | €160/kWc |
Between 36 and 100 kWc | €80/kWc |
The payment of the premium is made over the first 5 years of operation of your equipment.
You must make a request for connection to the electricity network manager in your municipality (in general, Enedis) to be connected to the public grid and to be able to inject the surplus of your electricity production and sell it:
Enedis: apply for connection to the public electricity grid
These services are not free. Costs vary depending on your equipment characteristics.
This request can be made by you or by the installer of your solar panels.
The Network Manager sends you a connection proposal (PDR.) and a network access and operation agreement (CAE) number.
The Network Manager will connect and provision your equipment once you have accepted the RDP and signed the EAC.
When you make your connection request, you sign a contract of obligation to purchase with the network manager. This contract obliges the system operator to purchase your electricity.
The contract is for 20 years. It applies from the date of commissioning of your equipment (actual connection to the network).
The rate of purchase of the electricity produced shall be fixed by law.
The rate that applies to your contract is the rate in effect on the date of the request for connection of your equipment.
You must send your invoice to your Network Manager on the anniversary date of the contract each year.
To sell everything
You can produce electricity for full sale by settling:
- Multiple solar panels (photovoltaic).
These panels capture solar energy and turn it into electricity. They can be attached to your original roof (non-integrated equipment) or integrated as a replacement for the original roof (built-in equipment). In some geographic areas, they can also be settled on a facade or in a garden. - One or multiple inverters.
The UPS is a small box attached to a wall as close as possible to the photovoltaic panels. It converts the direct current obtained into alternating current identical to that of the public electricity network and usable at home.
It is recommended that you use a recognized environmental professional (EGP) to install your solar panels.
To find out the list of professionals, you can help yourself from a directory:
Search for a company with the quality "Recognized Guarantor of the Environment"
In order to sell the resulting electricity, your device must be connected to the public electricity grid. In total, 2 communicating meters must be settled at your home.
An advisor can help you define your project, and evaluate the costs and benefits :
Who shall I contact
Specialist advisors on housing renovation works (France Rénov')
Allows you to be accompanied for free in its renovation work by specialized advisors of France Rénov'
By telephone
0 808 800 700
Open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm. You must have your last tax notice.
Free service + cost of a call
Before settling your solar panels, you need to make a preliminary declaration of works to your town hall.
If you are building a house, the installation of your solar panels must be included on the application for building permit.
FYI
it is recommended to contact your city council to find out if there are any special rules in force in your municipality (example: color of the roof).
Installation costs
The price of the equipment (solar panels and inverter) and its installation varies. It depends on the following:
- Materials used
- Method of installation (integrated or simply laid panels)
- Installer you use
Operating costs
Once the solar panels are settled, you are required to take out civil liability insurance for this equipment. To do this, you can request a change to your home insurance contract. The amount of your contribution will be reassessed.
FYI
you must regularly maintain your solar panels, as their materials degrade with the weather. In addition, the UPS must be changed approximately every 10 years.
Revenues from the sale of electricity
You do not pay income tax on the sale of electricity if your equipment meets the following 3 conditions:
- Electricity shall not have a power output greater than 3 kilowatts (kWc)
- Electricity shall be connected to the public network at not more than 2 points
- Electricity shall not be used for the exercise of a professional activity
If one of the 3 conditions is not met, you must pay income tax. These revenues must be reported on your income tax return as Industrial and Commercial Benefits (BIC).
FYI
for equipment with a power output of less than 3 kWc, the electricity obtained may be supplied free of charge.
You must make a connection request to the electricity network manager present in your municipality (in general, Enedis) in order to be connected to the public grid and to be able to sell electricity:
Enedis: apply for connection to the public electricity grid
This request can be made by you or your solar panel installer.
The Network Manager sends you a connection proposal (PDR.) and a network access and operation agreement (CAE) number.
The Network Manager will connect and provision your equipment once you have accepted the RDP and signed the EAC.
When you make your connection request, you sign a contract of obligation to purchase with the network manager. This contract obliges the system operator to purchase your electricity.
The contract is for 20 years. It applies from the date of commissioning of your equipment (actual connection to the network).
The rate of purchase of the electricity produced shall be fixed by law.
The rate that applies to your contract is the rate in effect on the date of the request for connection of your equipment.
You must send your invoice to your Network Manager on the anniversary date of the contract each year.
Self-consumption
Purchase Price
Connection times
Obligation to purchase
Obligation to purchase
Conditions for exemption of income from the sale of electricity
Ecological Transition Agency (Ademe)
Ecological Transition Agency (Ademe)
Ecological Transition Agency (Ademe)
ENEDIS (ex-ERDF)
Ministry of Economy
Ecological Transition Agency (Ademe)
ENEDIS (ex-ERDF)
ENEDIS (ex-ERDF)
National Institute of Consumer Affairs (INC)