Germany Plans To Simplify Installation Rules For Balcony PV Storage Systems

Germany Plans to Simplify Installation Rules for Balcony PV Storage Systems; DC-Coupled Storage Exempt from Electrician Inspection

 

 

 

A leaked draft of Germany's 2027 Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) outlines plans to simplify installation regulations for plug-in solar devices equipped with energy storage capabilities. The draft stipulates that, in the future, plug-in solar devices coupled to the DC side of an inverter-when paired with an energy storage system-will qualify for a streamlined installation process, thereby waiving the requirement for a professional electrician's inspection.

 

The German Plug-in Solar Association has pointed out limitations in the draft's scope, noting that it covers only those technical configurations where the storage unit is directly connected to the balcony PV inverter. AC-coupled storage devices-which coordinate operations via wireless communication-remain subject to a different set of regulations. Furthermore, the draft fails to establish specific guidelines for standalone plug-in battery units; such devices allow users to store electricity at lower costs during periods of dynamic pricing, and the Association is advocating for the creation of a distinct device category for these units, subject to the same simplified regulatory framework.

 

The recently published VDE-AR-N 4105 low-voltage grid code has successfully standardized technical requirements, incorporating small-scale generation systems, small-scale storage systems, and combined generation-and-storage units into a unified, simplified grid connection process. Provided that the grid-connection output does not exceed 800 VA, non-professional users are now permitted to complete the registration process themselves; this standard also extends to small-scale wind power and hydrogen fuel cell systems. Experts note that the standard places no upper limit on the DC-side installed capacity; theoretically, this allows for the self-installation of a 5 to 7 kW PV system paired with a 10 kWh energy storage system-thereby creating new market opportunities for achieving greater household energy autonomy.