Balcony power plant: Bundestag adopts simplified rules

The use of balcony power plant is experiencing a new upswing in Germany. The Bundestag recently passed new regulations that make it much easier for tenants and homeowners to install balcony power plants. These changes promise to further promote access to renewable energies and drive forward the energy transition.

The most important information at a glance:

• Balcony power plant classified as “privileged structural alterations”.
• Tenants and condominium owners now have a right to installation.
• Online owners’ meetings permitted to speed up decision-making processes.
• Discussion about the permitted feed-in power: 600 watts or 800 watts.

What is a balcony power plant and why is it important?

Balcony power plants, also known as mini solar systems, are small photovoltaic systems that can be installed on balconies or terraces. These systems enable tenants and homeowners to generate their own electricity and thus reduce energy costs. They also help to reduce CO₂ emissions and support the energy transition.

The Bundestag’s new regulations now make it much easier to install such systems. By classifying them as “privileged structural alterations”, tenants and homeowners have a legal right to install a balcony power plant. This means that they no longer have to justify the installation separately, which simplifies the process considerably.

Simplified approval procedures for balcony power plants

Before the new regulations, the installation of balcony power plants was often associated with bureaucratic hurdles. Tenants had to provide detailed justifications and often had to wait for the landlord’s approval. Thanks to the new legislation, this additional effort is no longer required, making it more attractive for many to invest in such a system.

Although landlords retain a certain amount of discretion regarding the design of balcony power plants, they are not allowed to make excessive demands in order to prevent the project. This regulation protects tenants from unreasonable obstacles and at the same time promotes the expansion of renewable energies.

• More on the topic: Solar package I adopted

Digital owners’ meetings

Another aspect of the new regulations concerns the holding of owners’ meetings. These may now also be held online in order to avoid delays in decision-making processes. In order for a community of owners to make use of this option, it must pass a resolution in principle that is renewed every three years. However, a meeting must be held in person at least once a year, unless all owners unanimously vote in favor of a purely digital meeting.

Technical specifications: 600 watts or 800 watts?

An important technical detail that must be considered when purchasing a balcony power plant is the permitted feed-in power. There has recently been some confusion here: according to solar package 1, a feed-in of 800 watts is permitted. However, owners are currently only allowed to feed in 600 watts. The reason for this is a pending change to the standardization for the devices by the German Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (VDE), as reported by t3n. However, this technical restriction should be resolved in the near future, allowing the full capacity of the systems to be used.

Conclusion

The new regulations from the German parliament to simplify the installation of balcony power plants are a significant step towards a more sustainable energy future. They offer tenants and homeowners more freedom and flexibility to generate their own electricity and thus make a contribution to the energy transition. The removal of bureaucratic hurdles and the possibility of holding digital owners’ meetings will further promote access to renewable energies. The outstanding clarification of the technical specifications will further increase the attractiveness of these systems.