If you own a home in Mallorca but live in Germany, the UK, Switzerland or Scandinavia, solar still makes excellent sense: the sun, the bills and the island's prices are the same for everyone. What changes is the subsidies you can claim, the way you get quotes, and who meets the installer. This guide covers all three.
What you can and can't claim
You can't claim:
- FACTOR grants (45% on batteries, 70% on EV chargers). The applicant must be domiciled in the Balearic Islands.
- FOTOPAR panel grants, for the same reason.
- Spanish income-tax deductions (the new 10% self-consumption deduction, the 40% efficiency deduction, the Balearic 50% deduction). These require Spanish income-tax residency; non-residents pay a different tax (IRNR) with no such deductions.
You can claim:
- Municipal IBI rebates. The property-tax rebate is tied to the property, not the owner. Palma gives 50% off for six years, Calvià and others 50% for three. On a villa IBI bill of €1,500 to €3,000 a year, that's real money.
- Municipal ICIO rebates on the works tax, 50 to 95% depending on the town.
- Surplus compensation on your electricity bill, like any customer.
If you become a resident later, FACTOR-type grants require the installation to be made within the programme's window, so you can't claim retroactively.
Getting quotes from a distance
Installers in our network are used to owners abroad. The usual sequence:
- Photos and the satellite view. Send photos of the roof, the meter cupboard, the main switchboard and the route from the street. Our solar calculator roof mode gives you a sized system from the aerial image to send along.
- A video call to walk the installer round the house on your phone, or your caretaker's.
- A site visit with your caretaker, property manager or a trusted neighbour. The installer checks the roof structure, shade, the switchboard and the cabling route.
- A written quote by email, in your language where the installer offers it. Compare three with our quote checker.
Tick "I'm not on the island right now" on the request form and add your caretaker's details, and installers plan around that from the start.
Paperwork from abroad
- Signing. Quotes and contracts can be signed electronically. The comunicació prèvia at the town hall and the self-consumption registration are filed by the installer; some town halls want a signed authorisation from the owner, which can be done remotely or with a simple power of attorney.
- NIE. You'll have one as a property owner. It's needed for the town hall filings and the IBI rebate.
- Supply contract. The change to a self-consumption contract is done with your retailer, usually online or by the installer with your authorisation.
- IBI rebate. Applied for at the town hall after registration, with the installer's certificate and proof of ICIO payment. A gestor or your property manager can file it.
Designing for an empty house
A home that's empty for months has a different load profile, and it changes the design:
- Size for how you use it. A house used from May to October wants a system sized for summer: pool pump, air-conditioning, guests. The rest of the year it exports, which is fine but worth little.
- Battery for the evenings you're there. A 10 kWh battery makes the summer evenings free. In winter it mostly sits idle unless the house is rented.
- Monitoring with alerts. Insist on an app that shows production and faults, with alerts to you and your property manager. A tripped inverter in March that nobody notices until July wastes a season.
- Surplus diversion. Send surplus to the pool pump or water heating before exporting it; smart relays cost little.
- Backup. On rural lines, a battery with a backup circuit keeps the fridge and the alarm running through cuts while you're away.
Holiday rentals
If the house is rented out, solar caps the summer electricity bill that guests run up, and "solar-powered villa" reads well in listings. Make sure the system is registered and the paperwork is in order; tourist-licence inspections and buyers' lawyers ask. See Solar for Holiday Rentals and Villas with Pools in Mallorca.
Selling later
A registered, documented solar system with a monitoring history adds to a sale. An undocumented one raises questions. If a previous owner left panels with no paperwork, see our page on legalise or upgrade an existing system.
What it costs
The same as for residents: about €5,800 to €8,000 for 5 kWp, €8,200 to €11,500 for 8 kWp, and €5,000 to €7,000 for a 10 kWh battery, with IVA. Without FACTOR a battery pays back more slowly, so many owners abroad start with panels and add storage later. The solar panel cost guide has the detail.
Getting started
Describe the house and tick the "abroad" box on the request form form. We match you with installers who speak your language and work with absent owners every week.
Common questions
Can a non-resident claim the FACTOR grant?
No. FACTOR requires the applicant to be domiciled in the Balearic Islands.
Do municipal IBI rebates apply to non-residents?
Usually yes, because they're tied to the property. Palma gives 50% off IBI for six years; Calvià and others 50% for three.