Solar power from the balcony – a bit of independence

Our energy system is in transition. Monopolistic, centralized structures will soon be a thing of the past. Decentralized generation, self-consumption and feed-in are becoming increasingly important. Energy suppliers, community energy cooperatives, private and institutional investors are equally committed to the expansion of renewable energies.

Solar power from the balcony – an ingenious solution

What works on a larger scale can be just as worthwhile for private households. Solar power from the balcony is the solution that enables many people to produce and consume solar power themselves.

In a lecture in Rainrod on the “energy transition from below”, Achim Parbel, board member of the Central Hessian Energy Cooperative (MiEG), explained what one can imagine by “solar power from the balcony”. Solar power from the balcony is a concept in which – as the name suggests – you install photovoltaic modules on your own balcony in order to generate electricity. This electricity is then fed into the house’s electrical circuit via a Schuko socket. The requirements for the connection should be clarified in advance with the regional network operator.

Practical test – solar power covers 20 percent of consumption

In a project run by the energy supplier EWE, PV modules were tested in practice on balconies in Delmenhorst. The result showed that the residents were able to cover around 20 percent of their electricity needs using solar power from the balcony. In addition, around 80 percent could be consumed directly, the rest was fed in – but without remuneration in order to avoid the bureaucratic effort. Electricity-intensive activities can be scheduled at times of day when a lot of electricity is produced. This includes charging mobile devices or doing laundry, which can be easily planned thanks to the time delay. The amount of direct consumption can be maximized in this way.

Advice from a solar installer or online

Over 20,000 such modules have already been installed in Germany. Regional solar technicians are the contacts for installation. On the Internet, GreenAkku offers consumers an extensive selection of modules and advice on solar power systems. How much a solar power module on the balcony generates in practice depends – as with large photovoltaic systems – on the intensity of the sun. A good southern orientation, ideally with a slope, is generally an advantage. A 195 watt module is able to generate around 185 kWh per year. This is already more than the average refrigerator in a household with three people uses. More powerful modules, the assembly of several modules or a storage device increase the amount of electricity produced. GreenAkku also has suitable offers for this. Based on the average electricity consumption of a three-person household of 2,900 kWh, three 195 watt modules generate around 20 percent of the annual requirement. Solar power from the balcony – assuming the highest possible self-consumption – reduces external electricity purchases, saves money and promotes the energy transition.

A greenValue article by Laura Vyhnal appeared on July 17, 2019.

Source: July 17, 2019, www.greenvalue.de