Balcony power plants (also Mini PV Systems or Mini Solar Systems) are an innovative form of decentralized energy generation. As the name already suggests, these are installed in particular on balconies, the terrace, the garage roof, on the tool shed or on the facades of buildings, i.e. usually in places with small space. The operation of balcony power plants does not differ from ordinary PV systems. Solar energy is converted into electricity via the installed modules and thus used for self-supply or feeding into the power grid.

How is a balcony power plant defined?

In Germany, it is not the amount of electricity produced by the balcony power plant that is relevant, but the maximum power of the inverter used. In the European Union (EU Directive 2016/613), it was decided that mini PV systems with an output of less than 800 watts are not to be considered relevant for the electricity grid and thus do not require any special approval. In Germany, on the other hand, a smaller upper limit of a maximum of 600 watts inverter power for balcony solar systems was defined. The German standard (VDE AR-N 4105) states that a balcony power plant should not exceed the maximum inverter power of 600 watts. If you stay within this limit, you can easily register your balcony solar power plant with the electricity supplier (as of October 2023).

According to current reports, the federal government in Germany and the VDE are working on raising the limit to 800 watts. In Austria plants are allowed to operate mini solar plants up to a power of 0.8 kW. In Austria, too, a simplified registration is usually possible for this type of system and no permit is required. Larger plants are also permitted with an appropriate registration and connection.

For precise information on the current status, please contact the authority responsible for your country.

Advantages of balcony power plants

Mini PV systems give an even larger target group access to environmentally friendly power generation. As PV components become more affordable worldwide, the acquisition and installation costs are manageable. In addition, the ease of commissioning makes balcony power plants attractive to individuals in particular, but also to businesses. Balcony power plants are usually offered as ready-made complete sets to make installation as easy as possible. Of course, it is also possible to create an individual system from the individual components (solar modules, micro inverter, connection cable with protective contact plug, optionally with communication unit). Look through our offer of ready assembled and tuned balcony power plant complete sets with one or two modules (415 Wp - 860 Wp).

Mouting Systems for Balcony power systems

Below you will find a selection of options for mounting balcony power plants:

Wall mounting:
This method involves mounting the solar panels horizontally or vertically on the wall of the building or balcony. It saves space and is well suited for limited areas. For example, a combination of short rails (e.g. K2 Systems MiniRail MK2) and module clamps (e.g. K2 Systems Universal End Clamp OneEnd, Universal Middle Clamp OneMid) is suitable for this. For this purpose, we offer already coordinated wall mounting sets for your balcony power plant in our online store.

Elevation:
In this option, the solar modules are erected at an angle on special stands or racks to ensure the appropriate tilt angle and orientation to the sun. Placing the elevation on a balcony is not recommended due to the limitation of usable space and possible shading. Rather, it is worthwhile to place it on small open spaces with favorable solar radiation conditions, e.g. in the garden or on flat roofs. The company WATTSTONE offers a safe and stable elevation with its L-bricks made of fine-pored exposed concrete. Due to the M8 threaded sleeves already incorporated into the bricks, simple installation is possible using module clamps. The system can be extended by adding further L-bricks. Discover our ready-made PV elevations including clamps and building protection mats for 1 panel or for 2 panels.

Railing mounting:
In railing mounting, the solar modules are attached directly to the railings of the balcony, which allows installation without affecting the usable area of the balcony. Different mounting materials such as suspension hooks, rails, module clamps and screws can be used here.