In Germany, plug-in solar panels are on the rise. According to the Federal Network Agency, the number of these registered equipment multiplied by more than seven in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period of the previous year.
“The market is huge,” explains Christian Ofenheusle, an expert in solar installations and who also runs the website MachDeinenStrom.de, to DW. With this increase, one in four German homes could have its installation for solar energy in seven years. And by 2030 there could be “12 million solar panels in Germany,” he says.
Italy’s largest electricity provider, Enel, is now promoting this way of generating its own electricity. In other European countries, such as Poland, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland and Hungary, Ofenheusle also sees “great interest” in this technology.
How do plug-in solar panels work?
Solar panels usually have one to three photovoltaic modules and are placed on balconies, on house walls or on terraces, gardens or even roofs.
The special feature: the tenants can produce solar energy themselves. The direct current provided by the solar panel is conducted to a small box, where a converter transforms it into standard alternating current and can then be injected into the home network through a plug. Most of the electricity generated in this way is consumed directly in the home and reduces electricity costs.
Surplus electricity is injected into the public grid.
How much electricity does a solar panel placed on a balcony generate?
Solar panels generate a particularly high amount of electricity in direct sunlight, making them especially productive in regions where this climate occurs, especially in Africa, the Middle East, Australia, parts of China, Latin America and the United States.
In these regions, a 400-watt panel can generate up to 800 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. In Germany and other places in Central Europe, even with fewer hours of sunshine, about half can be produced.
Are these panels safe?
“Basically, plug-in solar devices are very safe; no damage has been reported so far,” says Thomas Seltmann of the German Solar Industry Association in Berlin.
However, he recommends purchasing these systems from a specialized dealer or from an online store, where one can find adapted components, and installation instructions and advice.
More and more countries allow the installation of these devices; in the EU, 25 of the 27 Member States do so, with the exception of Belgium and Hungary.
Panels on the balcony: fun and a solution for an energetic change?
Experts in the solar energy sector agree that plug-in solar devices will only be able to cover a part of the future demand for electricity. At the same time, systems like these will be increasingly needed, larger in size and on as many rooftops and large solar parks as possible.
But the balcony modules have other advantages. People can “have fun generating their own solar energy”, gain experience and also promote environmentally friendly energy supplies elsewhere, says Leo Ganz of the international market research company EUPD in Bonn. “These solar installations for balconies are very important to mobilize people in favor of the energy transition.”
(aag/the)