Solar systems - Record for balcony power plants - relief for tenants
The number of balcony power plants in Germany is growing faster and faster - and small solar systems are expected to receive an additional boost. The Bundestag passed a law that makes it easier for tenants and housing co-owners to install balcony power plants. Carsten Körnig, managing director of the German Solar Industry Association, called the second quarter "a booster for the balcony solarization." He expects another demand surge for so-called socket solar systems.
According to the market data register of the Federal Network Agency, more of these small solar systems went into operation in the second quarter than ever before. As of Wednesday, the register showed over 152,000 balcony power plants that went into operation from April to June. That's a massive increase of 52 percent compared to the previous record holder, the second quarter of 2023. The market data register currently lists about 563,000 systems in operation. The actual numbers may be even higher, as there is a several-week registration deadline and some systems are not registered.
Easier for tenants and housing co-owners
The Bundestag passed changes to tenancy and housing co-ownership law. The law still needs to pass the Bundesrat. To install a balcony power plant, tenants and housing co-owners have so far needed the explicit consent of their landlord - or, as housing co-owners, the approval of the homeowners' association. This consent could previously be denied without reason.
Now, solar generation through socket solar systems is to be included in the catalog of so-called privileged measures. These are building modifications that cannot be blocked by landlords or homeowners' associations without good cause - such as accessibility adjustments or burglar protection. Landlords and homeowners' associations should still have a say in how exactly a socket solar system is installed on the property. However, whether such a system can be installed at all would no longer be a matter of contention.
FDP politicians welcome "right to harvest solar power"
FDP politician Katharina Willkomm said in the Bundestag that there are still too many legal hurdles for socket solar systems. "We're changing that today." SPD parliamentarian Zanda Martens said that the necessary consent of the landlord was often the biggest hurdle, which would now be dismantled.
Körnig said that it would be quasi legislating a "right to harvest solar power." Daniel Föst, building and housing policy spokesperson for the FDP parliamentary group, spoke of an important step that would enable significant energy savings in households. Green energy policy spokesperson Katrin Uhlig praised the changes, saying that they made installing a socket solar system even easier. "So more people can easily participate in the energy transition and actively shape it."
Rinkert (SPD) sees energy transition contained in its own four walls
Rinkert (SPD) sees the changes as containing the energy transition in its own four walls. With these changes, tenants and owners would be put in a position to decide for themselves whether they wanted to install such systems in their own homes.
Already simplifications passed
Balcony power plants received a boost from Berlin in the previous quarter. Since April 1, registration has been simplified. Now, a simplified registration in the market data register of the Federal Network Agency is sufficient.
A solar package is also in effect - it allows for the use of a regular power outlet for the installations, the use of previous, non-digital meters, and a higher power of 800 watts at the inverter instead of the previously valid 600 watts. Every reduction in bureaucracy would stimulate demand, says Cornig.
Moreover, this boom may have been fueled by more affordable prices as well. The BSW does not keep statistics on this, says Cornig. He assumes, "that - just like with module prices - there have been price decreases in the last few months." In building markets, balcony power plants were recently available for a few hundred euros.
According to RWTH Aachen, profitable in three to six years
Balcony power plants are relatively small solar systems that can be connected to the household grid via a power outlet. They do not have to be installed on the balcony. The electricity they produce reduces consumption and thus the electricity bill for their operators. Excess electricity flows into the public grid for free. Whether they pay off depends not only on the purchase price and the location, but also on whether the operators consume the electricity they generate during the time they generate it. According to a recently published study by RWTH Aachen on behalf of Eon, they are profitable on average after a operating time of three to six years.
- The growth of balcony power plants in Bonn, a city in Germany, is mirroring the national trend, with small solar systems expected to see increased demand.
- The Bundestag's recent amendments to the tenancy and housing co-ownership law could lead to a record number of balcony power plants in Berlin, also a city in Germany.
- The Federal Network Agency's market data register showed that over 152,000 balcony power plants were installed in Germany during the second quarter, setting a new record for the highest number ever.
- The SPD parliamentarian Zanda Martens praised the changes, stating that they would make it easier for tenants and housing co-owners to install plug-in solar devices, contributing to Germany's energy transition.
- The FDP politician Katharina Willkomm welcomed the "right to harvest solar power," while Green energy policy spokesperson Katrin Uhlig praised the changes as making it easier for people to participate in the energy transition.
- The SPD politician Rinkert saw the changes as containing the energy transition in people's own homes, allowing tenants and owners to decide whether to install balcony power stations.
- The simplified registration process in Berlin and the solar package have contributed to the boom in balcony power plants, making them more affordable and easier to install for consumers.
- A recent study by RWTH Aachen on behalf of Eon found that balcony power plants are profitable on average after operating for three to six years.
