Over the past few years, European household energy consumption habits have been quietly changing. In addition to the surge of rooftop solar, balcony solar also gained fast traction. Given its compact size, ease of installation, and low price point, it is particularly suitable for city apartments and rentals. Most importantly, with support from national policies and subsidies, balcony solar has become a gateway to green energy for many households.
In this article, we will provide you with the full insight into:
Why has balcony solar been so well received in Europe?
What are the trends in future policies and subsidies?
How to further improve the return on investment by combining home energy storage.
Balcony photovoltaic is a small photovoltaic energy system established on a balcony, terrace, or exterior wall. It generally consists of the following components:
PV modules: small solar panels.
Microinverters: convert DC electricity to AC power for family use.
Plug-and-play connectors: customers honestly plug the machine into a domestic outlet to power their home grid. Compared to rooftop solar, balcony structures require much less significant development and have decreased structural requirements, making them rapidly popular amongst city residents in Europe. For example, in Germany, a balcony photovoltaic gadget with a rated strength of about 600-800W can regularly power 20%-50% of a household's electrical energy needs, appreciably decreasing the burden of electrical energy bills.
Economical:
In Europe, where power rates are still quite high, balcony solar became the perfect solution for self-generation and self-use. Many users have testified that in the sunny summer months, balcony solar power alone can take care of their refrigerators, TV, lighting, and other basic household needs, earning them significant savings in their power bills.
Environmental Benefits:
In reality, balcony solar is a distributed clean energy vendor. Every kWh this system produces translates into a reduction in fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions ,and hence is environmentally friendly.
Flexibility:
Unlike the large, one-time investment required for traditional solar, balcony solar is low-cost and quick to install, making it easy even for renters to adopt. This gives more people the opportunity to try out new energy.
Germany: Large subsidy programs and a mature market. Known locally as Balkonkraftwerk.
Easy to install: There is no complex permit procedure, only a filing.
Sufficient subsidies: The government and local governments have different programs set up to subsidize part of the initial investment.
Market size: By 2024, Germany is expected to have more than 550,000 balcony PV systems installed, with 220,000 new installations coming in the first half of the year.
This makes Germany a model market for balcony PV in Europe.
Belgium: Simplified regulations + energy storage liberalization
Starting in November 2024, Belgium will officially sanction balcony solar-plus-storage systems, giving households the right to generate electricity and store it as a backup.
This goes with Synergrid, the national grid operator, which wishes to promote the adoption of plug-and-play solar panels on a large scale.
Hugely advantageous for tenants: 23% of flat residents can reduce their electricity bills through balcony solar.
Other countries: Policies are steadily following through.
Austria: Subsidies up to 50% of charges are possible.
France: Simplified approval system for small-scale solar.
Italy: Tax credit for balcony solar.
The Netherlands: Net metering lets customers generate extra electricity and feed it back to the grid.
These policies are mutually using the adoption of balcony photovoltaic in Europe, making it an essential aspect of the power transition.
If balcony solar represents an entry-level renewable energy source, then home energy storage is the key to its true efficiency. Generating electricity during the day and using it at night: This avoids the mismatch between peak power generation and peak demand.
Resisting electricity price fluctuations: In Europe, evening electricity prices are often higher, and energy storage can help offset peak demand.
Shortening the payback period: With balcony PV alone, the payback period might be 6-8 years, but with the addition of energy storage and the added benefit of electricity price differentials, this could be shortened to 4-6 years.
(Here's a diagram comparing the payback periods of balcony PV + energy storage to visually illustrate the difference.)
Due to less severe regulations and varying subsidy levels, this relatively new segment of solar power has seen much faster growth. It serves as a fine, tidy clean energy solution to reducing electricity bills and achieving more independence, whether for the homeowner or for the renter.
The value of balcony PV, even more, is brought out by the application of energy storage at the home level that allows for more steady electricity use while delivering an even-in-real-terms return against sharply rising electricity prices. Another thing to consider while embarking on a new energy lifestyle would be to install a small balcony PV system in your house, thereby embracing the future energy era.
