What's included
- Technical viability study: shared roof, available space, number of interested neighbours
- Shared photovoltaic system design sized for aggregate consumption
- Fixed allocation coefficient calculation per RD 244/2019 (% of production assigned to each neighbour)
- Community agreement drafted: approval at meeting, signing by participating owners
- Physical installation on common roof, virtual individual meters per neighbour
- Legal procedures: collective autoconsumo registration with Industry, E-Distribución sign-up
- Governance manual: how to add/remove neighbours, shared maintenance, incident resolution
How we work
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Initial meeting · 1-2h at meeting
We present the model to the community or president. Explain how allocation works, what each neighbour signs and estimated savings per home.
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Technical + economic study · 7-10 days
We visit roof and verify viability. Calculate aggregate PVGIS production, savings per neighbour by individual consumption, and economic proposal.
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Meeting approval · Variable by meeting
We accompany the president to extraordinary meeting. 3/5 owner quorum required for collective autoconsumo per LPH (Horizontal Property Law art. 17.2).
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Agreement + signing · 2-3 weeks
We draft individual contract per participating neighbour with their fixed allocation coefficient. Non-participating neighbours don't sign nor pay.
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Installation + legalisation · 30-60 days by distributor
Same as [individual installation](/en/services/solar-panel-installation/), but with additional collective autoconsumo procedure in RIPRE.
Frequently asked questions
Does the community need unanimity?
No. Horizontal Property Law art. 17.2 (modified by RDL 19/2021) allows agreement with 3/5 of owners and quotas for new common services, including collective autoconsumo. Neighbours who don't want to participate don't pay nor receive production.
How is production allocated between neighbours?
With fixed coefficients per RD 244/2019: each participating neighbour is assigned a percentage of total production in the contract. Example: 6 participating neighbours with 16.67% coefficient each, or proportional split by expected use. The coefficient is stable for the system lifetime.
What if a neighbour leaves or sells their flat?
The coefficient is tied to the home, not the owner. The new owner inherits rights and obligations. If they want to opt out, the rest can absorb their coefficient or it gets redistributed per community agreement.
How much can each neighbour save?
Depends on coefficient and individual consumption. A typical 10 kWp shared system in a 6-home building with equal coefficients can generate 30-50% bill savings per neighbour, vs 50-70% in individual installation. But cost per neighbour is half or less than individual.
Who pays for maintenance?
Split per same coefficients as production. Managed by the community president (or designated neighbour) with annual approved budget. Our [maintenance plan](/en/services/maintenance/) is adapted to this model.
Advantages vs each neighbour their own installation?
Economy of scale (one legal procedure, one structure, one large inverter cheaper than several small), optimal use of common roof (more square metres = more kWp), and split fixed legalisation cost across participating neighbours.
Do IBI/ICIO bonifications apply same as individual home?
Yes. Town hall bonifies the property, not individual owner. Community requests bonification of common IBI and/or ICIO when applicable. We verify deadlines at each town hall as part of the procedure.
Collective autoconsumo is the most efficient model when several neighbours of the same building want solar panels but none has their own roof or individual roof space isn’t enough for a profitable installation. A single system on the shared roof serves multiple flats per an allocation agreement regulated by RD 244/2019.
When it makes sense
Works very well for buildings up to 12-15 homes with accessible shared roof. More neighbours complicates internal governance (meetings, voting, allocation). Fewer neighbours makes individual installation more worthwhile if each has their own roof.
Typical cases on the Costa del Sol and Málaga capital:
- Small apartment blocks where some owners want solar and others don’t.
- Buildings with top floor having shared (non-private) terrace.
- Small communities with active president who coordinates the meeting.
What changes vs individual installation
Physical installation is similar — panels + inverter (larger) + structure + wiring. What changes is the administrative and legal side:
- Community agreement signed at extraordinary meeting (3/5 per Horizontal Property Law).
- Individual contract per participating neighbour with their fixed allocation coefficient.
- Special inscription with Industry as collective autoconsumo (not individual).
- Virtual meters at E-Distribución splitting production per coefficients.
That part is covered by our legalisation service, which is included in the complete package. If your community already has something underway or comes from another installer, we can also do just the legal part.
The first step
If you’re a president or interested neighbour, write to us with basic building data (how many homes, what type of roof, how many potential neighbours) and we send initial viability guide at no cost before formally presenting at the meeting.