Since May 2024, the yield from a balcony power plant can be significantly higher. Instead of the previous 600 watts, 800 watts are now permitted.
Yield of a balcony power plant – what you should know
The ultimate yield of a balcony power plant depends on numerous different factors. In addition to factors that are difficult to influence, such as the sun's rays, individual factors also play a significant role in the expected yield of a balcony power plant.
- Regardless of this, higher yields have generally been possible since May 2024. After almost ten years, the German government has joined EU-2016/631. Accordingly, all energy generators with a maximum output of less than 800 watts will be classified as insignificant.
- This means that in Germany, the maximum permitted output of balcony power plants has finally been increased from 600 watts to 800 watts. In figures, this means that you can now save a good 100 euros more per year with the help of a balcony power plant, with the emphasis on can.
- Many variables must be taken into account to calculate the yield. This also includes the fact that the electricity generated by your balcony power plant must be consumed 1:1. Everything that you do not use at the same time disappears somewhere in the public grid and is therefore lost to you.
Balcony power plant – how to calculate the yield
Before you calculate how much electricity you could save with the balcony power plant, you should consider how much electricity you use with your permanent consumers. Permanent consumers include devices such as refrigerators, freezers or terrariums that are connected to the grid around the clock and consume electricity.
- A balcony power plant with a connected load of 800 watts usually consists of two solar modules with a nominal output of around 445 watts. If you have installed the solar modules so that they receive enough sun, they will supply around 900 to 1,200 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.
- If you actually manage to use all the electricity from your balcony power plant 1:1, multiply the price of electricity from your energy supplier by the output of your plug-in solar system. The result is then the savings that the balcony power plant has brought you.
- Under optimal conditions and depending on your current electricity price, your annual savings will be between 250 and 350 euros. However, this is by no means a profit at first, because the costs incurred beforehand must first be amortized.
Balcony power plant – costs arise before you can save
Before you can save electricity and money with the balcony power plant, you first have to consider the costs for the plug-in solar system. These naturally vary depending on the model and provider, but you should expect to pay around 500 euros.
- There may also be smaller costs, such as the installation of a Wieland socket, although this is not mandatory. If you are not very handy, you may need someone to align and install the mini solar system. If you do not have a socket on the balcony, a hole will also have to be drilled to route the cable inside.
- Registration of the balcony power plant with the network operator will also no longer be necessary as of May 2024. As a result, the electricity meter will no longer be immediately replaced with a digital electricity meter; if this has not already been done in your case. This will initially save you the maintenance costs, which are at least seven euros higher.
- In short: Before you calculate the electricity savings that the balcony power plant can bring you, you should consider all other costs in advance. It usually takes around five years for the balcony power plant to pay for itself.
- Note: Even if the balcony power plant no longer needs to be registered with the grid operator, registration in the market master data register is still mandatory. However, this can be done quickly online.