Apparently, the ministers of justice of the federal states want to create incentives for photovoltaic systems also for tenants. Among other things, a subsidy for so-called balcony power plants is being discussed. One federal state is taking a step forward and has already started with the promotion.
Way to the balcony power station is to become simpler
Rising energy costs are currently prompting many people to opt for alternative energy generation. Photovoltaic systems in particular are extremely popular. However, this privilege is usually reserved for homeowners with suitable roof space. An alternative for the home are so-called balcony power plants. These are easy to install and can produce significant savings in some cases. However, if you are not the owner of the apartment but a tenant, you are not allowed to install balcony power plants without further ado. Rather, in addition to the consent of the landlord, further legal hurdles must be overcome. In the view of the justice ministers of the federal states, this should soon come to an end.
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Renewal of rental law needed
A look at the law reveals that until now, any structural change to the rental property requires the consent of the landlord. The district court Stuttgart had to negotiate a case to this topic in the last year. In this case, a landlord demanded that his tenant remove the balcony power plant because it was a structural change. The change is that the cables coming from the panels feed the electricity into the existing power grid.
In the court’s view, this connection was a structural change. The court, however, saw the right on the side of the tenant. After all, he is allowed to use the balcony for his own purposes. Particularly in times of the energy transition, this naturally also includes power generation through solar energy. From the court’s point of view, however, it was a prerequisite that the connection to the power grid was carried out professionally. After all, it otherwise poses a risk to the safety of other residents as well as the condition of the rental property.
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Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is already promoting
When it comes to renewable energy, the states in coastal regions are a big step ahead of the rest. After all, the latter generate much of their energy with the help of wind power. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is now making it clear that photovoltaic systems that can be installed on balconies should also be promoted. Since these regularly do not require approval by the relevant authorities, there are only financial hurdles here apart from approval by the landlord. And the state would like to minimize these by already offering subsidies. Anyone looking for financial support from the state coffers need only submit the invoices for installation and balcony power plant along with photographic evidence of the installed mini power plant here. And that can be quite worthwhile. For example, the state will cover about half of the costs for total costs around 1,000 euros. In total, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania would like to provide 10 million euros in funding. Other German states should also create these incentives.
