New Orientation of Solar Market: Balcony Solar System

Background and Policy that drive this market

In August 2022, the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has allocated €10 million to support the deployment of balcony solar modules with a power output of up to 600 watts. Under the scheme, each household is entitled to a subsidy of up to €500.

In January 2023, the German VDE officially drafted a document proposing to simplify the rules for balcony PV systems to accelerate the popularity of small-scale PV systems while ensuring safety, with the following requirements:

1. Raise the power limit to 800W, which enables manufacturers to develop and sell plug-in solar equipment as a complete system, with the power raised from 600W to 800W, on a par with European standards.

2. Small 800W PV systems can be applied to any type of meter and do not have to wait for the government to replace smart meters to be installed.

3. Simplify the registration and commissioning process by simply registering or deregistering the micro-energy generation system on the federal network, or reporting changes to the system.

4. Prefer installation by professional electricians in principle, but support the use of grounded plugs (Schuko plugs) to reduce installation costs.

5. manufacturers should fully disclose the risks of installation and commissioning of microgeneration systems and ensure the electrical safety of the system.

In February 2023, the Berlin SolarPlus subsidy scheme began on 10 February, with customers purchasing plug-in solar equipment up to 600W being able to submit applications for subsidies of up to €500, for a total of €7 million in subsidy payments. Applicants need to apply for the subsidy online before purchasing the equipment, and the applicant must be a tenant whose primary residence is in Berlin, and the landlord must give consent, have the installation carried out by a qualified person, and so on.

On 4 July 2024, the Lower House of the German Parliament passed an amendment to the law stating that photovoltaic power generation via plug-in photovoltaic systems will be included in the catalogue of privileged measures and that landlords or homeowners' associations will not be allowed to prevent such actions without a valid reason.

System Components

Balcony PV systems can be classified into two types, On-grid and energy storage, depending on whether they have an energy storage request or not.

1. Pure On-grid Type

Balcony PV systems On-grid type are similar to traditional household PV systems, consisting of three parts: PV modules, microinverters, cables and plugs.

Photovoltaic module: solar panels, generally installed 1-3 pieces, installed capacity of 600-800W. 

Microinverter: Converts DC power into AC power.

Cables and plugs: used to connect the PV modules and the microinverter, and connected to the household's socket through a standard plug.

2. With energy storage Type

Balcony Solar system with energy storage compared with on-grid type, will be changed from micro-inverter to portable power mobile power can achieve energy storage function.

Photovoltaic module: solar panels, generally installed 1-3 pieces, installed capacity of 600-800W.

Portable power supply: convert DC power to AC power, excess power can be stored in the internal battery.

Cables and plugs: Used to connect the PV modules to the portable power supply, and through a standard plug into a household socket.

Portable mobile power has the following advantages over traditional energy storage inverters, firstly, it is easier to install, and secondly, it is more versatile, it can be used for camping and homework, and it can be taken away and used by unplugging the connector. The pain point of portable power has always been the low frequency of use, but now it can be used for balcony photovoltaic, it can be used every day, and the utilisation rate of the product is greatly increased.

SUNOHOO's portable power supply is equipped with grid-connected photovoltaic power generation function, which can send the power from the photovoltaic module connected to the mobile power supply to the home circuit and supply it to the home load, whereas ordinary mobile power supply can only use the socket on the device to supply power to the load, so CoreTech's products are more convenient to use.