January 17, 2023

Balcony power plant vs. solar storage

Anyone who wants to be clever these days tries to produce their own energy. There are many ways to do this. Both in an apartment and in a family house, and also outdoors.

In this article we explain the difference between a balcony power station and a power station with a solar panel. Let's get started.

What is a balcony power plant?

Balcony power plants provide energy for immediate needs. The excess energy is then fed into the public power grid - usually without financial compensation. But the excess electricity can be stored. With a power station, you can retrofit this storage function to balcony power plants.

When is a balcony power plant worthwhile?

One of the most important points before buying is to determine the orientation of the balcony. If the balcony faces north, we only look at a balcony power plant in the rarest of cases. To the south, the whole thing looks more interesting.

The balcony power plant could then after about 5 years calculate. Then the average initial investment of 1,000-2,000 euros (0.4 -1kW system) has paid for itself.

Notice: A fixed installation of a balcony power plant must always be discussed with the landlord or the cooperative.

The problem with a balcony power plant?

In the ideal case, a balcony power plant supplies energy that is completely consumed by the user. The rest is fed into the power grid depending on the tariff. However, should the power fail, in most cases the balcony power plant no longer works. The reason is the inverter/inverter. This system requires a 230V power connection as operating voltage. These problems are already recognized not only by balcony power plant operators but also by PV system operators on single-family houses. You can find the solution at the bottom of the article.

In addition, a balcony power plant (due to the fixed installation) requires a permit/approval from the landlord or the cooperative. The reason for this could be the insurance, which this installation does not take into account. Please always consider this before installation.

As an island system in the garden or for special applications, PV modules with an inverter are a great option - to the product.

In this article, we take a closer look at the topic of portable power station as a backup battery and what advantages it brings.

When is a power station with a solar panel worth it?

A power station with a solar panel is basically a "balcony power station" when it is temporarily set up on the balcony/terrace. The emphasis is on "temporary" because a power station with a solar panel is not a permanent installation.

What are the advantages of battery storage compared to balcony power plants?

Below we have listed the advantages of a power station with a solar panel compared to balcony power plants. Again, we would like to note that this is our experience.

Die Powerstation …

... can be used as an emergency power solution
... does not require a permanent installation
... is mobile and can be taken anywhere
... can store the excess energy from other solar carriers
... offers different capacities for every application
... can supply the operating voltage to an inverter
... does not require the consent of the landlord or cooperative

What is better for me now?

With our conclusion we would like to support you in making the right decision. Both users of balcony power plants and those of power stations with solar storage have made the right decision. There is an additional precaution against power failures.

In practice, we see that balcony power plant operators retrofit the system with a power station or battery storage. Retrofitting does not require any special knowledge.

Now for our conclusion. If you are in the process of thinking about something for the future, we recommend a power station with a solar panel. The memory size and details depend on your need.

More articles. reading and more knowledge

If you have already had a balcony power plant installed or installed it yourself, we definitely recommend one Powerstation to add to the supply concept. Because only if you can also store the energy are you protected against power failures.

Feel free to write to us about your needs and challenges. We would be happy to support you with a tailor-made supply concept.