The advantage of balcony power plants is their lower price compared to other types of solar systems
Small home solar power plants installed on balcony railings are a new trend among Europeans who want to invest in their own electricity production and reduce their bills. While in Germany, for instance, the installation of balcony solar systems last year exceeded the figures from 2022 by 400%, in Croatia, as we learn from participants in the renewable energy market, this new trend in solar power plants has not yet gained initial momentum. “Currently, there is no available data on the use of balcony solar power plants in Croatia,” says Kristina Lauš from the Green Energy Cooperative (ZEZ). Although ZEZ, according to our interlocutor, is in daily direct communication with citizens from all over Croatia who are interested in solar power plants or already use them, they have not yet encountered anyone who uses balcony solar systems. It is confirmed to us that balcony solar systems currently have the biggest momentum in Germany.
Small-capacity power plants
The term “balcony power plant,” or “balkonkraftwerk” in German, implies a small-capacity solar power plant, from 600 to 800 watts, which in Germany, for example, can be installed without obtaining permits, in a simple registration process with the local energy supplier and the federal agency. Such plants usually consist of two solar modules and a microinverter, are significantly lower in power than typical roof-mounted systems, and are portable – state in ZEZ. Owners of balcony power plants, according to the same source, are required to consume all the electricity their plants produce and do not have the option of feeding surplus into the grid or buying back excess energy.
As balcony power plants are of low power, so are the benefits for their owners. A peak power of 600 watts, for example, is not sufficient for using an electric kettle or cooking on an electric stove because such appliances typically require several kilowatts of power to operate – points out Kristina Lauš.
Given their low power compared, for instance, to solar systems mounted on the roofs of houses or residential buildings, balcony solar systems are primarily used to reduce electricity bills. Additionally, initial investments in the purchase and installation of photovoltaic models are incomparably lower than the costs of installing power plants on building roofs.
The advantage of these power plants is their lower price compared to other types of solar systems, with an average cost of 500 to 700 euros per plant, according to available data. Moreover, unlike rooftop power plants, the installation of balcony systems is relatively simple and consists of placing panels on the balcony and connecting the inverter to an electrical outlet – claim in ZEZ. The economic-interest association Renewable Energy Sources of Croatia (RESC) agrees with the assessment that balcony solar systems are not yet recognized as a good lever for the development of electricity production from clean sources and household savings on electricity bills in our country.
Currently, there is no increased demand and use of balcony solar power plants in Croatia. There is a lack of awareness and information among the general population about the possibilities and advantages. This is not surprising considering that the total capacity of rooftop solar power plants in Croatia is modest, although there is growth – say in the RESC association.
All steps
One of the barriers to increased interest among citizens in installing balcony solar systems, Kristina Lauš mentions the absence of a legislative framework that would, she emphasizes, enable their easy installation. “The owner of a balcony power plant must follow all the steps of installing the plant just like for classic rooftop solar power plants for households. Moreover, due to the still relatively low electricity prices in Croatia compared to developed Western countries like Germany, the installation of such small plants is questionable in terms of profitability because they cover a very small part of the electricity needs,” says Kristina Lauš.
In Germany last year, about 270,000 households installed balcony solar systems, contributing to the high share of solar energy in the country’s energy mix at 16%. In our country, the share of solar in the mix is just over 2%.
Source: Jutarnji list
