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🇦🇷 Solar Calculator Argentina

Enter your monthly electricity bill in pesos and province — get solar system size, Ley 27.424 prosumer savings, installation cost in USD and ARS, and inflation-honest payback period.

Your electricity details
$ARS
Solar system results — Argentina
5 kWp system — 1314 kWh/kWp/yr
Important — Argentina inflation notice: Solar cost is quoted in USD (stable). ARS savings will increase with inflation but purchasing power in dollars is what matters. Payback is shown in USD terms. ARS figures are approximate at ~$1,000 ARS/USD — verify current exchange rate (Banco Central de la Republica Argentina).
Monthly kWh usage (est.)294 kWh/mo (at $85/kWh)
Annual solar production6570 kWh/yr
Annual self-consumption savingsUSD 363/yr ($362.993/yr)
Ley 27.424 export creditUSD 98/yr ($97.729/yr)
Total annual benefitUSD 461/yr ($460.721/yr)
System cost (USD — stable)USD 6,000 – USD 9,000
System cost (ARS approx.)$6.000.000 – $9.000.000
Payback period (USD-based)16.3 years
25-year net savings (USD)USD 4,018
Ley 27.424 Prosumer: Argentina's Ley 27.424 allows solar users to inject surplus electricity and receive bill credits. Provincial implementation varies — some provinces (Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Cordoba) are active; others are still implementing. Contact your provincial energy authority or ENRE (for GBA) to register as a prosumer. Requires bidirectional meter and certified installer.
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How to Use This Calculator

Enter your monthly bill and province

Enter your average monthly electricity bill in Argentine pesos (ARS) from your distributor — EDESUR or EDENOR in Buenos Aires, or your provincial distributor. Argentina's electricity tariffs vary enormously by province, subsidy tier, and whether you are residential or commercial. The calculator uses approximate provincial averages for ARS/kWh. Select your province — Salta (5.8 PSH) and San Juan (5.7 PSH) in the Andes/Cuyo region are Argentina's sunniest. Buenos Aires (4.5 PSH) is lower but still very good by European standards.

Argentina's unique context: plan in USD

Solar installations in Argentina are priced in US dollars (USD $1.20–$1.80/W installed) because contractors and panel importers work in dollars. Your electricity savings accrue in ARS, which depreciates with inflation. The key insight: as ARS inflation pushes your electricity tariff higher in peso terms, your solar savings also grow in peso terms — effectively an inflation hedge. However, the payback period should be calculated in USD to be meaningful. This calculator shows both ARS and USD figures.

Ley 27.424 prosumer registration

Argentina's Ley 27.424 (Ley de Fomento a la Generacion Distribuida, 2017) allows solar users to become prosumers — injecting surplus electricity to the grid and receiving credits on their bill. Provincial implementation varies significantly — Buenos Aires, Mendoza, and Cordoba are the most active. Contact your provincial energy authority for current registration procedures.

The Formula

Monthly kWh = Monthly Bill (ARS) ÷ Provincial tariff (ARS/kWh, varies) Annual production = kWp × PSH × 365 × 0.80 efficiency Self-consumption = Annual kWh × 50% (no Ley) or 65% (with Ley 27.424) Self-consumption savings = Self-consumed kWh × ARS tariff/kWh Ley 27.424 export credit = Exported kWh × ARS tariff × 50% Installation cost = USD $1.20–$1.80/W (STABLE in USD) ARS cost = USD cost × ~1,000 ARS/USD (verify current rate) Payback = Total cost (USD) ÷ Annual benefit (USD) — use USD not ARS!

Argentina's solar market is growing rapidly despite economic volatility. Key fact: solar panels protect against electricity tariff inflation. In 2021–2026, residential electricity in Argentina became more expensive even in USD terms as subsidies were reduced under IMF agreements. Solar locks in your effective electricity cost and hedges against future tariff increases. CAMMESA (the electricity market operator) and ENRE (the regulator) set the framework for Ley 27.424 prosumer credits. Provincial energy authorities administer local implementation.

Example

Martin — Mendoza home, 8kWp, excellent Andes sun

Martin pays ARS 18,000/month for his Mendoza home. He installs an 8kWp system to take advantage of Mendoza's exceptional 5.5 PSH solar resource and registers under Ley 27.424 as a prosumer. He calculates savings in USD to avoid the confusion of peso inflation.

Monthly billARS $18,000
Province / PSHMendoza, 5.5 PSH
System size8 kWp
Ley 27.424Yes (prosumer)

Result

Annual production~12,848 kWh/yr
Production per kWp~1,606 kWh/kWp/yr
Annual savings (USD)~USD 548/yr
Annual savings (ARS)~ARS $548,000/yr (nominal)
System costUSD $9,600–$14,400 (ARS $9.6M–$14.4M approx.)
Payback (USD)~14.5–21.5 years
25-year net savings (USD)~USD 2,290

Argentina honesty note: USD-denominated payback in Argentina is longer than other countries because ARS tariffs are heavily subsidized in USD terms — subsidies keep electricity artificially cheap in USD. However, as Argentina reduces subsidies (IMF requirement), USD-equivalent tariffs will rise, dramatically improving solar economics. Many Argentine solar buyers view solar primarily as an inflation hedge and energy independence play, not purely a financial return. The ARS savings grow automatically with inflation.

FAQ

Solar in Argentina requires nuanced analysis. Argentina has outstanding solar resources (4.5–5.8 PSH across provinces). The key challenge: electricity is heavily subsidized in USD terms, making savings in USD less compelling than in countries with higher retail electricity prices. However, solar serves as an excellent inflation hedge — your ARS savings automatically grow as tariffs rise. As Argentina reduces electricity subsidies (under IMF agreements), solar economics improve significantly. Many Argentine buyers prioritize energy independence during power outages over pure financial ROI.
Ley 27.424 (Ley de Fomento a la Generacion Distribuida de Energia Renovable Integrada a la Red Electrica Publica), enacted in 2017, allows residential and commercial solar users to inject surplus electricity into the grid and receive credits on their electricity bill — making them "prosumers." Provincial implementation is not uniform: Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Cordoba, and Neuquen have active prosumer programs. Other provinces are still implementing. Credits are typically at a rate equal to the retail tariff. Contact your provincial energy authority (ENRE for Buenos Aires metro area) to register.
Argentina's electricity is heavily subsidized — residential tariffs are well below cost-of-supply in USD terms. This means solar saves less in USD per kWh than in countries like Germany or Australia where retail electricity is priced at market rates. However, this is changing rapidly: Argentina has been reducing electricity subsidies since 2022, and tariffs are rising in real terms. Also, ARS inflation means your solar savings (in ARS) grow each year — a 5-year payback in ARS terms is achievable, even if USD payback is 10–15 years.
Solar installations in Argentina are quoted in USD: $1.20–$1.80/W installed. A 5kWp residential system costs approximately USD $6,000–$9,000. Argentine installers price in USD because panels are imported and contractor labor is increasingly USD-indexed. The ARS equivalent changes daily — verify at Banco Central de la Republica Argentina (bcra.gob.ar) or use the current official exchange rate. Some informal transactions use the "dolar blue" — always get formal receipts for system warranties.
Salta (5.8 PSH) in the Andean northwest and San Juan (5.7 PSH) in the Cuyo region are Argentina's sunniest provinces — world-class solar resources rivaling the Atacama Desert. Mendoza (5.5 PSH) is also outstanding and has one of Argentina's most active prosumer programs. Neuquen (5.0 PSH) in Patagonia is excellent despite the southern latitude. Cordoba (4.8 PSH) and Santa Fe (4.6 PSH) are very good. Buenos Aires (4.5 PSH) is the lowest but still perfectly viable — comparable to Southern Spain.

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