The Balkon.Solar e.V. is the teading plug-in PV non profit in Germany. Dedicated to plug in pv system on balconies, roofs, walls or fences.
Our core activity is to inform consumers on the options they have to save money and generate power by using simple and safe plug in pv systems.
Presentations and lectures
- About One on-site lecture per week
- Online lectures once a month
- Main audience 50+, often house owners, who use plug in pv as their first step before buying rooftop pv or larger installations
Social media work
☀️ Web https://balkon.solar ☀️ X: @balkonsolar ☀️ Mastdon: @balkonsolar@freiburg.social ☀️ instagram: @balkonsolar ☀️ bluesky: @balkonsolar.bsyky.social ☀️
- Operate X, Mastodon, Bluesky, instagram, youtube
- predominantly positive responses at X too, in contrast to many energy transition topics
- want to expand video, so far mainly lectures and short information videos (reels) on youtube and instagram
- open whether TikTok entry makes sense, we wish to reach more young people.
Lobbying
- Talks with MPs, ministry of Economics (BMWKi) and email exchange about changes to the solar package (Solarpaket), but more importantly “Right to solar”.
- “Right to solar” should come before the summer break → Lobbying efforts are ongoing, emphasizing not only the right to solar on the balcony, but on the whole house. Industry has to talk to their MPs!
- AG Balkonkraftwerk as an association of many partners, co founded by Balkon.Solar ev.
- Participating in Product Norm Work through AG Balkonkraftwerk
- Working on Solar in Allotment Gardens (Kleingarten Solar)
- Ongoing discussion with Stiftung Warentest about Product and Test Quality
Consultation and Inquiries
- Topics: Mounting, installation on complicated balconies, often made of concrete
- consulting of municipalities and companies
- Legal issues in disputes with landlords/administrators/WEG → Right to balcony solar
Media Production
- BalkonSolar Zeitung as short overview to introduce people to the topic. A Third issue is planned for the week after “Right to Solar” becomes a thing. Already in discussions to produce this to be distributed widely
- Members and Board wrote two books on plug in pv
- extensive work on the website to keep it up to date as important reference tool
World Record Attempt 13th of July Freiburg in Upcycling
- promoting 2nd life use of solarpanels for plug in pv systems
- over 100 participants
Numbers
Based on registered plugin systems and the amount of usually not registered we estimate 1 – 2 Mio Systems in Germany, with more then 1 GWp installed.