Should balcony power plants be funded?

Created: 08/16/2022, 16:00

By: Catherine Hauser

The power plant in front of the balcony is one of the small photovoltaic systems that are already in operation in Hohenpeissenberg.

Huge amounts of solar energy there Some concerns about the fund © Hochenauer

Should a fund be set up to support citizens who buy a balcony power plant?

The Hohenpeissenberg municipal council discussed this quite controversially at its meeting.

Hohenpeissenberg

- "It has to do with the big topic of 'alternative energies'," said municipal councilor Hermann Summer (Aufwind) about the three suggestions that he would like to address in the municipal council meeting.

After it was difficult in Hohenpeissenberg to implement large-scale energy generation projects in the short term, the "Energy" working group considered what options there were for making this "attractive on a smaller scale", explained Summer.

In the course of this, the idea came up to set up a fund from which citizens who buy a balcony power plant would be financially supported.

Purchasing such a small photovoltaic system, also known as a “balcony power plant”, costs between 600 and 1000 euros, according to Summer.

Systems pay for themselves after eight to ten years

A balcony power plant with an output of 300 watts generates around 300 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

Since such a small photovoltaic system in Germany can have a maximum of 600 watts, a second module could be connected so that 600 kilowatt hours per year could be generated on one's own balcony, in the garden or on the roof of the house.

Depending on consumption, the electricity for some of the household appliances can be generated without any problems.

It can be expected that the systems will have paid for themselves within eight to ten years.

Solar energy is available in huge quantities and it makes sense to use it on a small scale.

"If we say we support it, that would be an important sign," said Summer: "It would be a small contribution to the energy transition." He would like to discuss that.

The municipal council colleagues Rudi Hochenauer (SPD) and Dr.

Bernhard Fabel (SPD) already had such systems and could explain more.

The funding fund is intended to give an impetus to get into renewable energies

Fabel then reported that he bought a small photovoltaic system in March, which he then converted so that it is optimally aligned to the sun.

"I see it in a similar way to Hermann Summer, that we could give the people in Hohenpeissenberg the impetus to buy such a system with a subsidy."

“The performance of the system is good.

That's a good story," Hochenauer said of his balcony power plant.

He is "more than skeptical" about the promotion of purchases through the municipality, because if someone wants to buy such a system for themselves, they can usually do so without a subsidy.

And in any case, he would suggest an information evening.

For Günter Weinmann (CSU), the social component should also play a role in such a fund.

"We should establish selection criteria," he said.

"I'm skeptical whether 100 euros will motivate someone to do it," said Johannes Führer (CSU) and Andreas Ranft (free voters) cited aesthetic reasons against too many photovoltaic systems: "I don't know how it will be later looks like." "I would say that we have to activate the people.

We need alternative energies," said Erika Sebrich (SPD).

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Financial effort for the community would be manageable

It's about giving the citizens a stimulus to buy the small photovoltaic systems, to give a little impetus, said Summer.

"The financial outlay for the community would be manageable." How exactly the allocation of the subsidy would be regulated, whether there would be a social component and additional information events, all of this can be solved in his opinion.

He is convinced that even a small financial contribution can provide an incentive.

"It's worth a try," Summer said.

"I understand the approach," said Mayor Thomas Dorsch (CSU/non-party).

Many committees are currently dealing with this topic.

The neighboring municipality of Peiting, for example, decided to set up a fund of 12,000 euros to support citizens in purchasing "balcony power plants".

Money should not be distributed with the watering can

For him, the social component is important, "so that we don't distribute the money with the watering can." If the fund were to be launched, he thinks it makes more sense to give more grants and then to support those who want to buy such a system otherwise could not afford.

If the municipal council decides to do so, then it must also be looked at how this could be accommodated in the budget or whether a supplementary budget is even necessary.

The mayor suggested that the administration prepare a motion on the subject, taking into account the social component, and that the municipal council vote on it at its next meeting.

The board agreed with this.

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