Balcony power plants pay off much more quickly than they did 5 years ago

Ready-to-plug solar systems for your home balcony pay off According to the comparison portal Verivox for consumers now significantly earlier than five years ago. “Thanks to the mass production of mini solar systems, their acquisition costs have fallen significantly in recent years,” explained Verivox energy expert Thorsten Storck on Thursday in Heidelberg. At the same time, balcony power plants now deliver more power.

Costs are reduced after three to five years

According to the comparison portal, this means that solar systems can currently offset their acquisition costs after just three to five years. According to an example calculation from Verivox, a balcony power plant with an output of 800 watts generates around 760 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity annually under ideal conditions. Will of it 60 percent self-consumedwith an average price of 32.8 cents per kWh, this results in savings of around 150 euros per year.

According to Verivox, a balcony power plant with an output of 800 watts currently costs 400 to 800 euros – significantly less than in 2021. At that time, according to the portal, it was between 600 and 1200 euros, with only 600 watts of power.

Often profitable even under non-ideal conditions

According to the comparison portal, mini solar systems can often pay off even if the conditions are not ideal – for example unfavorable orientation or if part of the electricity generated is not used yourself. “In such cases, the payback period is simply extended,” explained Storck.

The location is therefore crucial for the yield: the conditions are optimal if the balcony south shows that the modules are installed at a slight angle and there is no shading. However, when facing north and installing vertically, the yield drops to less than a third of the maximum. “But even then, within a typical 20-year lifespan, more electricity costs would be saved than balcony power plants currently cost,” explained Verivox.

By Editor