A million balcony power plants: Germany's solar revolution is running!

A million balcony power plants: Germany's solar revolution is running!

In Germany, the market for plug -in solar devices, also known as the balcony power plants, records impressive growth. In June 2023, the brand was reached by one million registered devices from the Federal Network Agency (BNetza). This marks a relevant milestone in the distribution of these small solar systems, which are often installed on balconies. The Federal Association of Solar Economics (BSW) estimates that the actual number could now even be higher, since many devices are registered with time delay. By the end of April 2025, around 135,000 new balcony power plants were put into operation, which corresponds to an increase of 36% compared to the previous year

plug -in solar devices are a cost -effective option for tenants and owners of apartment buildings to cover their electricity requirements. With a low investment, the purchase can usually pay for itself within a few years. In a YouGov survey, about 8% of the respondents plan to buy such a device this year, while 9% can imagine this for the future. The Federal Government has promoted the use of balcony power plants by simplified regulations, for example through the landlord's obligation to permission, which facilitates access to this technology.

boom of the balcony power plants

The boom small solar systems began primarily due to the rising electricity prices as a result of the Ukraine war. The demand for these mini-PV solutions experienced a decisive increase, which has continued unbroken since 2022. Around 29% of the users attach their balcony power plants to the balcony railing, while 44% use uprising. The number of balcony power plants in operation is currently estimated at around one million, which corresponds to an increase within a year of around 100%.

Although the total number of registered devices in the market master data register of the BNetza 975,583 shows, experts report that only 10-20% of the balcony power plants are actually recorded. This indicates that the actual number may already have exceeded the millions of brands. The maximum connecting performance of a single balcony power plant is 800 watts, which means that the feed -in into the home network takes place through a simple socket.

simplicity and future outlook

The user friendliness of these devices can be seen in the fact that 77% of users use a Schuko plug, which simplifies installation and handling. In addition, there is often no entitlement to feed -in tariffs as with large photovoltaic systems, since surpluses are fed into the network free of charge. The proportion of balcony power plants in the nationwide electricity generation remains low, but the development is gratifying. In recent years, the prices for solar systems have dropped, which makes access easier.

Changes in legislation could also lead to the boom in the balcony power plants. A market analytical study found that the demand from the energy crisis could continue to increase while bureaucratic hurdles are to be reduced. In the future, these developments could play a central role in the success and spread of balcony power plants in Germany.