Balcony Solar (Plug-in PV) Calculator
Work out whether your balcony solar system pays off, with calculated savings and required payback period, all local. Runs in your browser, GDPR-compliant.
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Legal notice
Current as of: 11.08.2026.
The results reflect the legal and fiscal state as of the date stated above. They are provided for general information and initial guidance only. They are not individual financial, tax or legal advice, and no guarantee is given as to their accuracy, completeness or suitability for your circumstances. In particular, the results are not a substitute for an official or judicial assessment. Please check the information independently and seek qualified advice where appropriate, as you are solely responsible for any decision made in reliance on the result.
How to use this tool (video)
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Balcony solar calculator: is a plug-in PV system worth it?
Is a balcony solar system worth it for your household? The calculator estimates the savings of a plug-in solar system, the payback period and the benefit after 20 years. Only the solar power you use yourself is valued, at the household electricity price you would otherwise pay. A moderate annual price rise is built in. Every input, from yield and self-consumption to purchase cost, can be adjusted so the result fits your situation.
What is a balcony solar system?
A balcony solar system (plug-in PV) is a small photovoltaic setup with one or two modules and a micro-inverter that you connect to the household socket with a Schuko plug. Since the Solarpaket I reform, inverters in Germany may feed up to 800 watts into the home circuit, up from 600. That is often enough to cover part of the daytime load of a fridge, router or washing machine with your own solar power. You register the unit in the Marktstammdatenregister; approval from the grid operator is no longer needed, only a simplified notification. Surplus power usually flows into the public grid unreimbursed.
How the calculator determines the savings
The calculator takes the annual yield of your balcony system in kWh and multiplies the self-consumed share by the household electricity price. Every kilowatt-hour you generate is one you do not buy from the grid, so the saving equals exactly your price. Over the years the price rises at a rate you choose while the modules lose only a little performance. Savings accumulate; once they pass the purchase cost, the device has paid for itself. The calculator deliberately ignores a feed-in tariff, because most plug-in systems do not receive one.
Sample calculation
An 800 Wp balcony system costing 500 euros produces about 700 kWh per year depending on location. With a power price of 37 cents (2026 average per BDEW) and 70 percent self-consumption it saves roughly 180 euros in the first year. With a 3 percent annual price rise it pays back after about 3 years and delivers a clear benefit over 20 years. In sunnier regions or with more self-consumption the result is even better.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a balcony system produce?
An 800 Wp unit typically produces 600 to 900 kWh per year depending on location and orientation. The exact value depends on solar irradiation, tilt and shading. You can adjust the yield directly in the calculator.
Do I have to register my balcony system?
Yes. A plug-in solar system is registered in the Marktstammdatenregister of the German Federal Network Agency and reported to the grid operator in a simplified way. Since the Solarpaket I reform no approval is required. Check the current rules and power limits before installation.
How high is the self-consumption share?
For a balcony system it is usually high because you use the generated power directly, often between 60 and 80 percent. Depending on metering and device, the rest flows unused into the public grid or is not counted.
What output is allowed since December 2025?
Since the product norm DIN VDE V 0126-95 (in force from 1 December 2025): the inverter may feed up to 800 VA into the home circuit. On a standard household socket module power is limited to 960 Wp, with a dedicated energy socket up to 2000 Wp. Larger systems need that special socket, not the classic Schuko plug.
Why does the calculator not use a feed-in tariff?
With many balcony systems surplus power is not separately compensated, it simply goes into the grid unreimbursed. The calculator therefore conservatively assumes pure self-consumption savings, which reflects how most users operate.
Is this a binding calculation?
No. Yield, power price and usage behaviour are estimates. In particular the real saving depends on how much of your power is actually consumed during generation. The calculator is for orientation, not a guarantee.
Are my data stored?
No. All calculations run 100 % locally in your browser. Your entries are neither sent to a server nor stored.
Read more about this tool
How exactly does the calculator work?
The tool uses four key inputs: the annual yield of your system in kWh, the share you consume yourself, the household electricity price per kWh and an assumed yearly price increase. The saving in any year is the self-consumed electricity multiplied by the electricity price. Over the years the price rises by your assumed percentage while the modules degrade only marginally. Cumulative savings are set against the purchase cost, so once they pass it the system is considered paid back. The benefit after 20 years is the sum of all savings minus the purchase price.
The purchase price covers the system itself. Subsidies, mounting or battery storage you may want to add separately. The result is an estimate based on your figures, not a promise of a fixed saving.
What you should know about the rules
Since the Solarpaket I reform, plug-in solar systems with an inverter of up to 800 watts of output no longer need a lengthy approval process in Germany. Since December 2025 the product norm DIN VDE V 0126-95 adds the details: on a standard household socket modules up to 960 Wp are allowed, with a dedicated energy socket up to 2000 Wp. You still have to register: once in the Marktstammdatenregister of the Federal Network Agency, plus a simplified notification to the grid operator. Most households use a standard Schuko plug; anyone wanting more than 960 Wp of module power needs the energy socket, and in some buildings a Wieland socket or fixed connection is the cleaner option. If you rent, check the agreement with your landlord and the rules in your state before you buy. Requirements can change, so it is worth checking the current state shortly before installation.
What yield can you really expect?
An 800 watt system in Germany produces roughly 600 to 900 kWh per year depending on location, orientation and shading, and a little more in very good spots. What matters most is when you use the power. Someone at home during the day running a fridge or a washing machine reaches a high self-consumption share of 60 to 80 percent. Someone away at work usually produces more surplus that flows into the grid unreimbursed. That is exactly why the calculator lets you adjust the self-consumption share.
Does the calculation run locally?
Yes. The balcony solar calculator runs entirely in your browser and your inputs are neither sent to a server nor stored. You can try different numbers and compare scenarios safely; your private data stays on your device.