More than a quarter of Germans consider installing balcony solar panels
Nearly a fourth of Germans are willing to consider installing solar panels on their balconies.
A recent survey suggests that a quarter of Germans could be interested in powering their homes with solar energy generated on their balconies. The survey, conducted by Verivox and shared with Funke media group's newspapers, found that 9% of Germans already use mini solar panels, and another 17% plan to do so in the future.
Optimizing Solar Power on Balconies
The success of a balcony solar panel system depends significantly on its location. According to Verivox, those with a south-facing balcony and a slight incline for the modules often achieve the best results, with minimal shading. Conversely, those with north-facing balconies and only vertical modules can expect considerable losses, with less than a third of the potential yield.
Savings with Solar on Balconies
An 800W balcony solar panel system could generate around 760 kWh of electricity per year under ideal conditions, with 60% of the power used, resulting in estimated savings of about 160 euros per year based on an average kWh price of 34.7 cents/kWh.
State Subsidies for Solar Panel Purchases
The cost of a small solar panel for a balcony ranges from 500 to 800 euros, while a garden or terrace panel costs between 400 and 700 euros. The purchase price might be subsidized by individual federal states. In a two-and-a-half to five-year term, the purchase costs are amortized in this example calculation. If the system runs for 20 years, around 3,160 euros in electricity costs may be saved.
When Efficiency and Location Are unfavorable
Thorsten Storck, an energy expert at Verivox, stated that balcony power stations can still make sense even when ideal conditions are not met, for example, with less-than-optimal orientation or partial self-consumption. While less efficient, these systems can yield savings over time.
Incentives for Balcony Solar Panels
Since 2023, small to medium PV installations under 30 kW, including balcony systems, are exempt from VAT in Germany. This reduces upfront costs by about 19%. Additionally, income from electricity sales for small systems is tax-free, enhancing financial attractiveness for households.
- Solar energy
- Solar industry
- Solar panels
- Energy-efficient homes
- Electricity cost-savings
Enrichment Data:
Several factors influence the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of solar panel installations on balconies:
Factors Influencing Efficiency
- Panel Size and Wattage: The efficiency of solar panels is contingent on their size and wattage. Balcony panels ranging from 300W to 800W provide multiple options, but the optimal choice should blend power output with the available balcony space.
- Microinverter Technology: Microinverters optimize the performance of individual panels by converting DC power to AC at the panel level. This guarantees optimal efficiency even when partial shading or panel failures occur. Microinverters also facilitate panel-level monitoring and enhanced reliability compared to central inverters.
- Sunlight Exposure and Orientation: Unfortunately, balconies often have limited and variable sunlight exposure. Optimal panel placement to capture sunlight is crucial. The fixed nature of balcony installations means efficiency depends heavily on the balcony's position relative to the sun and nearby shading structures.
- Weather and Environmental Conditions: Weather variations, cloud cover, and temperature impact daily energy yields. Solar panels with good heat dissipation properties and durability ratings (e.g., IP67) maintain efficiency better under varied conditions.
Factors Influencing Cost-Effectiveness
- Tax Incentives and VAT Exemptions: Small to medium PV installations under 30 kW, including balcony systems, are exempted from VAT, reducing upfront costs, and income from electricity sales is tax-free for small systems, enhancing financial attractiveness.
- Plug-and-Play Installation: Simplified plug-and-play solar panel installations generate cost savings through reduced labor costs and make these systems accessible to tenants and homeowners alike.
- Microinverter Advantages: Microinverter technology reduces installation complexity and maintenance costs over time by eliminating the need for external combiner boxes.
- Limited Financial Benefit from Feeding Surplus into Grid: While excess electricity can be fed into the grid, the small scale of balcony systems results in little financial return. Cost-effectiveness relies mainly on self-consumption benefits.
- Space Efficiency: Solar panel installation on balconies makes the most of otherwise underutilized space, reducing the need for land or roof costs, which increases cost-effectiveness in urban or rental environments.
- In Germany, the solar industry has the potential to expand, as more Germans, specifically a quarter, consider installing solar panels on their balconies.
- To increase efficiency, factors such as panel size and wattage, microinverter technology, sunlight exposure and orientation, and weather conditions should be carefully considered for balcony solar panel systems.
- Cost-effectiveness can be improved through tax incentives and VAT exemptions, simple plug-and-play installations, microinverter advantages, limited financial benefit from feeding surplus electricity into the grid, and maximizing the use of otherwise underutilized balcony space.
- The purchase of a small solar panel for a balcony can contribute to reducing electricity costs over time, given that the system is amortized in two-and-a-half to five years and potentially runs for 20 years, resulting in savings of 3,160 euros under ideal conditions.
- While balcony solar panels may not yield the average efficiency of garden or terrace panels, they can still be a worthwhile investment for small and medium-sized undertakings, providing financial benefits through electricity cost savings.
