2024: An attractive year for investing in balcony power plants

A growing number of cities are offering financial support in the form of grants for the purchase of balcony solar systems. By using a mini photovoltaic system, you have the opportunity to generate your own electricity. This can result in an annual saving of 50 to 200 euros on your electricity bill, and this applies to both owners and renters.

Since 2023, balcony solar systems have been exempt from sales tax throughout Germany, making them an even more attractive option for environmentally conscious consumers.

Economic advantages and easy installation

Purchasing a mini photovoltaic system often proves to be economically advantageous within less than ten years. This is particularly interesting for German manufacturers of high-quality solar modules, which offer a product and performance guarantee of 30 years. Our powerful solar modules from Solarwatt and Meyer Burger can offer exactly this. This means that nothing stands in the way of a quick amortization of the acquisition costs. A balcony power plant can be easily put into operation by connecting it to a socket in your apartment. Once the solar panels capture sunlight, they begin generating electricity and convert the captured direct current into alternating current using a microinverter. With some manufacturers of microinverters such as HERF , this process and many others can be conveniently controlled via an app with a DCU .

Rising electricity prices and tax advantages

In 2024, there are several compelling reasons to choose to purchase a balcony power plant. Firstly, electricity prices are at a high level and are expected to remain that way. The electricity price brake limits costs for households to 40 cents per kilowatt hour for basic consumption. As electricity prices rise, the investment costs for a mini photovoltaic system are amortized even more quickly.

Secondly, politicians have further increased the attractiveness of balcony power plants since 2023: These devices have been exempt from sales tax since January 1st. Instead of the previous 19 percent VAT, a VAT rate of 0 percent now applies. Many retailers are passing this tax saving on to their customers, which means that balcony power plants are generally cheaper this year than before.

Thirdly, there are increasingly more funding programs for the purchase of plug-in solar systems. A large number of municipalities cover part of the acquisition costs. By searching the lists below for suitable grants, you can often save hundreds of euros when purchasing a balcony power plant.

Funding programs for balcony power plants in Bavaria

Cities and districts in Bavaria offer subsidies for balcony power plants. An increasing number of municipalities are providing financial support for balcony power plants. The funding initiatives we are aware of are listed here in alphabetical order. If your city, municipality or district is not listed, we recommend that you inquire about possible funding opportunities there. In addition to the municipalities, some municipal utilities also offer financial subsidies.

Examples of funding programs in various cities and districts in Bavaria are listed, including Augsburg, Erlangen, Fürth, Günzburg, Ingolstadt, Munich, Regensburg and Unterschleißheim.

Funding programs in various cities and municipalities

An increasing number of municipalities are providing financial support for balcony power plants. The funding initiatives we are aware of are listed here in alphabetical order. If your city, municipality or district is not listed, we recommend that you inquire about possible funding opportunities there. In addition to the municipalities, some municipal utilities also offer financial subsidies.

• Augsburg : From September 29, 2023, it is planned to provide financial support for the installation of new mini photovoltaic systems. A subsidy of 100 euros is offered for systems with an output of up to 450 Wp, while systems with an output of over 450 Wp should be subsidized with 200 euros.
• Erlangen : The city of Erlangen supports the purchase of balcony power plants with a subsidy of 50 euros per 100 watts of output, with the maximum amount being 300 euros.
• Erlangen-Höchststadt : There are several municipalities in this district that promote the purchase of mini PV systems in different ways.
• Fürth : The energy supplier Infa Fürth is donating the installation of a bidirectional meter for plug-in PV systems with an output of up to 600 watts. In addition, the network operator pays 100 euros when purchasing a new balcony power plant.
• Günzburg : The city's funding for a small photovoltaic system is 100 euros.
• Ingolstadt : The funding program expired on September 30, 2023 and supported mini photovoltaic systems with an output of 300 to 600 watts with a subsidy of 200 euros.
• Munich : An amount of 40 cents is paid for each installed watt of power, which corresponds to a maximum of 240 euros for a 600W balcony power plant.
• Regensburg : Since March 2023, the city of Regensburg has been funding plug-in solar devices. There is a flat rate subsidy of 150 euros per balcony power plant and residential unit.
• Unterschleissheim : Here you will receive a subsidy of up to 200 euros if you purchase a balcony solar system with an output of up to 600 watts.

Conclusion

In order to be able to put your plug-in solar system into operation in Germany, two registration procedures must be completed. On the one hand, registering with your network operator and, on the other hand, registering in the market master data register. We offer you support for both processes for all systems with an output of up to 600 watts. Many cities in the Free State offer funding programs for a balcony power plant in Bavaria. The application must be submitted to the municipality with a concrete offer before installation begins. In the long term, attractive savings are possible through self-sufficient power supply from solar energy.