Filenews 30 December 2025 - by Charalambos Zakos
More than 81,000 homes in Cyprus produce energy from photovoltaic systems, a number that corresponds to approximately 16% of the country's total households.
In particular, about one in six homes benefits from lower electricity prices, as they have photovoltaic systems, since out of 89,157 contracts, 81,204 concern residential consumers and the rest small commercial systems.
These figures result from the contracts for net metering, which concern residential photovoltaic systems, in comparison with the number of homes in Cyprus, as recorded in the last census of 2021, which reach 491,544.
According to the data of the Statistical Service, 491,545 houses were recorded. Of these, 193,427 concern detached houses, 66,404 duplexes, 156,614 apartments in apartment buildings, 32,211 residences in a mixed-use building and 42,888 as a building of another type. Most are recorded in the province of Nicosia with 162,930, in second place is Limassol with 132,281, followed by Larnaca with 81,881 and Paphos with Famagusta with 74,338 and 40,115 respectively.
As it is easily understood, this percentage of 16% is expected to be lower in 2025, as the net metering data refer to the period up to September 2025, while the available data on housing are based on the 2021 census. The number of dwellings is estimated to have increased in 2025 compared to 2021.
Whoever catches up
It is recalled that tomorrow, Wednesday 31/12/2025, is the last day to submit an application for the installation of a photovoltaic system with a calculation of offsetting per kilowatt hour, i.e. with net metering.
Those who apply after this date will have their bills offset based on the cost of the kilowatt hour. A system that is considered to offer consumers fewer benefits than the existing one.
According to official information, those who meet the deadline of December 31 – and if all the details of the application are correct – will be included in the net metering netting system, regardless of the date when the Electricity Authority of Cyprus will examine their application. So far, the pending applications exceed 4,000 and for this reason the Electricity Authority of Cyprus has proceeded with the purchase of services so that they can be examined as soon as possible, starting from the first day of the new year.
Detached house, duplex, etc
According to the definitions given by the Statistical Service in relation to the census of dwellings:
a) Detached house: It is considered any dwelling that is built on a separate plot and has a direct exit to the road. If part of the building includes shops, this residence is also considered a detached house.
b) Duplex: It is considered any building that is built on a plot, but consists of two independent houses joined horizontally or vertically. These houses may have an exit to a common area inside the building or have a separate exit, each directly to the street. If part of the building includes shops, this residence is also considered a duplex.
c) Apartment building: This is a building that is built on a plot of land and includes three or more houses and at least one floor, which houses may have an exit to a common area inside the building or may have a separate exit or each one directly to the street. (Apartment buildings that, in addition to apartments, also have offices and shops, have been included in the category "Residence in a mixed-use building").
d) Residence in a mixed-use building: These are residences in a building of at least one floor that includes at least three residential units for residential purposes (household housing) as well as other spaces used for professional and commercial purposes (offices, shops).
e) Residence in a building of another type: It includes houses under continuous construction, auxiliary houses and others that do not fall into the above categories.
