As of December 2023, approximately 1 in 10 households in Cyprus had installed photovoltaic systems on their rooftops, according to the latest data obtained by Brief. By the end of 2023, there were 52,883 connected systems, divided into:

• 52,125 net metering systems with a total capacity of 240MW (net metering refers to photovoltaic systems with a power of up to 10kw)

• 758 net billing systems with a total capacity of 65MW (net billing applies to photovoltaic systems with power above 10kw for spaces with higher needs, such as large homes and stores)

It should be noted that while there are no official figures yet for the virtual net metering and billing plan, the percentages are small.

Although the 52,883 connected systems include a number of stores and other commercial properties, the percentage is not significant, as the overwhelming majority are residential properties.

These numbers correspond to more than 10% of the total number of households, as the latest census in 2021 recorded 492,555 households in Cyprus. Naturally, these numbers are expected to have increased, as the EAC (Electricity Authority of Cyprus) processes about 1,500 applications per month for new installations. This is in addition to running the "Photovoltaics for All" program, which aims to install another 6,000 photovoltaic systems on household roofs.

Simultaneously, as mentioned above, the EAC processes about 1,500 applications each month, with the capacity to handle up to 2,000 applications. This number is expected to increase due to the "Photovoltaics for All" scheme.

Sources from the EAC noted that the organization has reduced the processing time for applications and inspection of photovoltaic system installations to a few weeks, down from 4 months previously.

The process begins with submitting an application to the local Distribution Offices of the EAC. The applicant receives a Case Number (Within 2 weeks, the EAC issues a Case Number and prepares the terms).

Subsequently, the applicant pays a fee of €250+VAT upon issuance of Terms, covering the cost of processing the application, issuing connection terms, inspecting the installation of the PV system, the net metering meter, and the connection of the PV to the EAC network.

It should be noted that the application must be accompanied by the required documents, such as:

1. Building Permit of the structure

2. Title of ownership (or written consent of the owner, duly certified, if not the owner)

Following the completion of the PV system, an application must be submitted to the EAC (with the installer's electrical plans) for the inspection of the PV installation. After successful inspection, the existing meter is replaced with a net metering meter for import and export of electrical energy.

Subsequently, with the connection approval from the EAC, a net metering contract with the consumer's Supplier is signed. The contract duration is 15 years for residential and 10 years for non-residential. The contract can be renewed at the end of its term according to the applicable legal framework.

After the customer's connection to the EAC Network, a Certificate of Successful Inspection and a related certification are issued, which the interested party presents along with their application to the Renewable Energy Sources & Energy Saving Fund (RES & ES Fund) of the Energy Ministry for grant provision.

As noted by the same source from the EAC, the waiting time is 3 weeks, although in some provinces, the times may be shorter.