Balcony power plants: This is how much electricity you can save with your own mini power plant!

Balcony power plants: This is how much electricity you can save with your own mini power plant!

In recent years, the trend towards balcony power plants, also known as plug-in solar devices, has experienced a real boom. These small solar systems enable private individuals to generate CO₂-neutral electricity directly at home. Information from Schwäbische.de show that the number of installed balcony power plants in Germany is increasing sharply. Around a million of these systems are now in use, with a doubling within a year, as the figures from the market master data register show in an article Tagesspiegel.de can be found.

The motivation behind it is clear: Many people not only want to save money, but also enjoy producing their own electricity. The prices for balcony power plants have fallen in recent years, and complete packages are now available for a few hundred euros in hardware stores and supermarkets. Installation is usually simple, although proper fastening and joint assembly are recommended. A typical balcony power plant consists of one or more solar modules, an inverter and the necessary accessories.

Simple and uncomplicated

The success of these small power plants is also based on bureaucratic simplifications. The Federal Council approved a regulation that makes it easier for tenants and apartment owners to obtain consent to install balcony power plants. Landlords can no longer refuse this consent without good reason. These legal simplifications apply to systems with a maximum connected load of 800 watts. The fall in electricity prices in recent months is also contributing to the influence; The high electricity prices at the start of the Ukraine war triggered the original boom in demand.

The number of balcony power plants in operation has more than doubled since the beginning of the year. Around 706,509 of these plug-in solar systems are currently recorded in the market master data register Tagesschau.de reported. These systems feed their electricity into the home network via the socket and thus help to reduce the need to purchase electricity from the supplier. Another not insignificant advantage is that a digital electricity meter is not required and the liability lies with the operator, which further simplifies getting started.

Versatile uses

The installation locations for the solar modules are diverse: whether on the balcony, the garage roof or as a solar table in the garden – the possibilities are almost endless. The orientation of the solar modules plays a crucial role in the electricity yield: optimal south orientation offers the highest yield, while east orientation for morning electricity and west orientation for the evening represent profitable alternatives.

In the Biberach district, for example, there are now around 2,600 balcony power plants with a total output of around 1,900 kilowatts. The two experts Alfons Jeggle from the BUND district association and Clemens Mayer from Catholic adult education operate such systems themselves and are actively looking for further solar ambassadors to promote the use of this technology in the district's municipalities. Interested parties can contact them directly by email and receive valuable information on installing and using their own balcony power plants.

The future of balcony power plants looks promising: demand will continue to rise, and experts expect inevitable growth as more and more people realize the convenience and savings that come with owning their own solar production. If you also want to immerse yourself in the world of solar energy, a small power plant on your balcony could be the first step towards a green future. There are many reasons to take action now.