Balcony power plant: solar power for everyone

High electricity prices have given a powerful boost to alternative energy generation. So-called balcony power plants are currently in particularly high demand – mini photovoltaic systems that are simply attached to or set up on the outside of the balcony instead of on the roof. A small inverter converts the direct current generated by the balcony power plant into alternating current and feeds it into the apartment grid.

The success of such mini power plants is also due to the fact that they can be put into operation completely unbureaucratically by anyone and then make their contribution to protecting the environment and reducing energy costs. Only a few basic requirements must be met. For example, a balcony power plant in Austria may not supply more than 800 Wp (Watt peak), while in Germany the limit is 600 Wp. That doesn’t sound like much – any toaster needs more power. In total, however, the mini power plants are able to cover the base load of an average household during the day and, for example, provide the energy supply for a home office.

A balcony power plant also does not need any special permits in this country; the grid operator only has to be informed two weeks before commissioning.  Another condition: There must be a fixed connection to the network. For this purpose, an ordinary Schuko socket on the balcony is sufficient.

Balcony power plant: to be installed without a permit

The panels are suitable for virtually any house or apartment with a balcony, preferably, of course, on the south side. But even oriented to the north, the panels can still be used in a pinch. However, the balcony power plant then only supplies a good half of the power. In order to optimize the energy yield, it may then make sense to increase the area of the photocells. The 800 Wp limit in fact only applies to the power of the inverter, but not to the panels.

However, even if in principle it is allowed to install the panels, but you should first consult your landlord or co-owners. There are still major reservations about the appearance or damage to the building fabric. At least when it comes to optics, the landlord has the final say.

Network operators are often skeptical

Grid operators also seem to be rather critical of balcony power plants. Thus, they repeatedly claim that installations with a Schuko plug are prohibited. The Federal Guild for Electrical Engineering even speaks to the VKI of a danger to life and limb. They refer to the electrotechnical standard OVE E 8101, which provides for professional wiring by electricians, even for very small systems  . However:  This standard is not binding. And a study by the Frauenhofer Institute commissioned by the regulatory authority E-Control concludes that there is no significant risk from 800 watt systems. E-Control felt compelled to explicitly set out the framework conditions once again in a separate paper. Board member Alfons Haber clarified to the APA: “Even with Schuko plugs, these small-scale generation systems are permitted”. And bringing in an electrician, as some of the grid operators require, is “purely a recommendation,” according to Haber.