Figures from the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) have revealed that Germany’s solar power panel surge has hit another milestone, with half a million “balcony power plants” now operating across the country.

Balcony solar panel installations hit milestone in Germany

Producing environmentally-friendly energy and saving money on utility bills; an increasing number of households in Germany are catching on to the benefits of balcony solar panels.

According to figures from the Federal Network Agency’s master data register, half a million balcony solar panel sets have now been installed. The milestone reveals that balcony solar panels’ surge in popularity continues, as recently as April 2024 the number of installed panels sat at 400.000.

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.

"A small energy revolution is currently taking place on Germany's balconies," said Carsten Körnig, managing director of the German Solar Industry Association. “The energy transition has finally reached tenants.”

Am I allowed to install balcony solar panels 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, but first must 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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