Consumers who purchase a home battery, with or without solar panels, can reclaim the VAT on the battery from the Tax and Customs Administration. Romano Hagen, a tax lawyer, sees this as great news and feels it is like a subsidy. With the VAT refund, the payback period for a home battery will be reduced to 7 to 8 years, making it a fantastic investment for consumers. However, to reclaim the VAT, consumers must have a dynamic energy contract and engage in buying and selling energy on the market. This trading can be automated with smart software that comes with the home battery. Installers need to arrange the VAT refund for their customers before the purchase of the home battery, as not all brands of home batteries allow trading on the energy market. Solar panel owners who have reclaimed VAT in the past can also get a refund on a home battery, but certain arrangements need to be made in advance. Hagen’s team is working on a VAT test to help installers and consumers check if they can reclaim VAT with just a few clicks, and it is important to organize the VAT refund in advance to avoid disappointment.
Source Solar Magazine
