A spokesman for the party complained that the landlord had to give his consent.
If you set up a mini solar system on your balcony, you can save in times of high electricity costs. In principle, the installation is uncomplicated, since the panels are simply plugged into a socket. Homeowners do not have to have them approved, just report them. It doesn’t seem to be that easy for tenants. The FDP in Berlin sees a need for action.
It calls for simpler and uniform approval procedures for balcony solar systems. Even if such mini power plants on the balcony or terrace do not play a key role in the energy transition, every individual citizen can make their own personal contribution, said the spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group for energy, Christian Wolf, the German Press Agency.
On top of that, the production of electricity for one’s own use can quickly relieve the high energy costs – this applies not only to homeowners, but also to tenants. “These balcony module systems are considered safe, efficient and are more worthwhile than ever against the background of the electricity price development,” says Wolf. “The payback period is now just a few years.”
Landlords must agree
The prerequisite for the installation of the systems for tenants (in Berlin) is – in addition to registration with the Federal Network Agency (market master data register) and Stromnetz Berlin GmbH – the consent of the landlord. And at this point the FDP sees deficits, because there is currently neither a uniform approval process nor uniform specifications for the installation of the so-called balcony plug systems.
“In order to make the purchase of these small power plants, which usually have an output of up to 600 watts, attractive for tenants, the entire approval, installation and commissioning process must be carried out quickly, unbureaucratically and, ideally, from a single source,” demands Wolf. “The Senate must set a good example here and set up a standard approval process for its state-owned housing companies as well as formulate guidelines for action.” The guidelines should define technical and design specifications for setting up the systems.
In addition, Wolf suggested that the state-owned housing companies help interested tenants who are unable to assemble them themselves. The companies could, for example, offer their tenants to procure and install a plug-in balcony system. According to Wolf, the opposition FDP wants to take the issue to the House of Representatives. The parliamentary group will submit a corresponding motion at the plenary session next Thursday (October 6).
