The possibility of feeding solar power into the public grid without requiring registration or approval sounds tempting. But how many balcony power plants are you actually allowed to operate without legal consequences? Here you will find an overview of the regulations and pitfalls.
In Germany, feeding solar power into the grid is subject to certain legal requirements that are intended to ensure that the grids remain stable and the quality of the electricity is guaranteed. Balcony power plants are usually mini solar systems with limited output that are fed directly into the house circuit. These are often designed so that the electricity generated is primarily used in your own household.
The good news is: In many cases, no special registrations or permits are required for smaller balcony power plants with limited output. Up to a certain power limit, you can feed solar power into your own home network without having to have any legal concerns. This power limit varies depending on the federal state and network operator, but is often in the range of 600 watts to 1 kilowatt.
However, it is important that you observe the principles of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). This law regulates, among other things, the marketing of electricity from renewable energies and stipulates that certain systems and feeders are exempt from the EEG surcharge. The self-consumption limit and the so-called trivial limit are particularly relevant here. If you would like to learn more about EEG, feel free to read our article about it.
The self-consumption limit means that you can use the solar power you generate yourself up to a certain amount without having to pay an EEG surcharge. The exact amount varies, but is often in the range of 10 megawatt hours per year.
The de minimis limit, on the other hand, stipulates that small systems and feeders are exempt from the EEG levy if their annual feed-in does not exceed a certain threshold. This value is often 1 megawatt hour per year.
However, it is important to note that these regulations may vary by state and may change over time. It is therefore advisable to find out about the current regulations from the local network operator or renewable energy experts.
Overall, it is possible to feed solar power into the grid without registering, as long as you comply with the applicable power limits and legal requirements. This allows you to reap the benefits of your own mini solar system while contributing to sustainable energy production.
