Balcony solar panels see boom in Germany

Figures from the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) have revealed that Germany is seeing a surge in the number of people choosing to install solar panels on their balconies.

Balcony solar panel installations surge in Germany

A double whammy of producing environmentally friendly energy and saving money on utility bills; the number of households in Germany catching on to the benefits of balcony solar panels is increasing sharply.

According to figures from the Federal Network Agency’s master data register, more than 50.000 new balcony solar panel systems were installed in the first quarter of 2024 alone. The sudden surge means there is now a total of 400.000 plug-in solar panel systems installed in Germany, up from 230.000 just nine months ago.

The surge in popularity is likely thanks to Germany’s new Solar Package I policy, which was passed in August 2023 and came into effect in January 2024. The new regulation cleared several bureaucratic hurdles that made it cumbersome to install balcony solar panels.

Installing solar panels on your balcony in Germany

Thanks to the Solar Package I, it is now relatively easy to install solar panels, whether you are a renter or a homeowner.

Anyone who would like to can install the panels themselves; they must only register their “balcony power plant” in a database. As a tenant, you should get permission from your landlord in advance, but the circumstances under which your landlord can deny your request are limited and set to be limited further under coming regulations.

Before you install the panels it is important to consider how much sun your balcony gets, to judge whether it is worth spending money on the panels. A solar panel kit can cost between 300 and 1.000 euros depending on demand and has a lifespan of 25 years. According to figures from Verivox, solar panels save households an average of 228 euros per year.

When weighing up if an installation is worth it, it is also wise to check which kind of subsidies might be available. For example, since early 2023, tenants in Berlin can apply for a 500-euro Business SolarPLUS subsidy from the city’s Senate if they would like help to cover installation costs.

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