We have written to the @EUCommission #Energy Comissioner Dan Jørgensen to express serious concerns about the proposed changes to the international standard #IEC 60364-7-751, which would effectively ban the use of #pluginpv systems.

https://balkon.solar/news/2025/06/19/proposed-iec-norm-letter-to-european-comission/

At least one Mio #PluginPV systems are registered in Germany with the Federal Network Agency: https://www.yahoo.com/news/germanys-balcony-power-plants-double-093122619.html

We estimate this means around 2~3 Mio #balconysolar devices are actually operating right now!

From: @balkonsolar
https://freiburg.social/@balkonsolar/114664681259780220

Der Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft (BSW) meldet 1 Mio Steckersolargeräte, die im Marktstammdatenregister angemeldet sind.

Sebastian Müller, Vorstand des #BalkonSolar e.V. dazu: “Das ist ein großer Erfolg für die Steckersolarbewegung in Deutschland. Wir möchten allen danken, die dies möglich gemacht haben, besonders den Bürgerinnen und Bürgern, die ein Steckersolargerät angebracht haben und häufig in die Diskussion mit Vermieter und Miteigentümern gehen mussten.”

Der Balkon.Solar e.V. e davon aus, dass nur etwa ein Drittel bis die Hälfte der genutzten Steckersolargeräte im Marktstammdatenregister angemeldet sind. Daher schätzen wir, dass derzeit zwei bis drei Mio. Geräte genutzt werden.

“Das bedeutet, dass fünf bis sieben Prozent aller Haushalte in Deutschland mittlerweile ein Steckersolargerät in Betrieb haben. Damit ist klar, dass ein Steckersolargerät in der Mitte der Gesellschaft angekommen und zu einem normalen Bestandteil der Wohnung geworden ist”, sagt Simone Herpich, Vorsitzende des Balkon.Solar e.V.  

Mehr: https://balkon.solar/news/2025/06/11/1-mio-steckersolargeraete-im-marktstammdatenregister-angemeldet/

Will new #IEC Norms kill Plug-in-Pv?

A new global standard for low-voltage generating sets is currently being discussed by the International Electrotechnical Commission, and somehow in this standard we find section 751.550.101.1, which states:
"A generating set shall not be connected to a final circuit."

The supplementary paragraph 751.550.101.2 is also cause for concern. It states:
"The connection of the generating set to the electrical installation shall be made by one of the following methods: […] a dedicated coupling system which is not compatible with any configurations belonging to national systems based on IEC 60884-1.

This wording directly targets the exclusion of Schuko-compatible plugs. Thus would not allow you to simply connect to the grid.

The IEC standards are not directly the standards that are in power, but national norming committees use these to draft their rules. So putting something into them that disallows feed in via a standard plug and socket, can make #pluginpv illegal in many places.

Any such attempt would grossly underminde the encouragement given to member states in the EU Electricity Market Directive 2024/1711 to allow or promote plug-in solar technology.
The comment period ends on June 16th, and not just any citizen is allowed to comment, but only the experts from the national committees.
If this becomes a reality, plug-in solar will be a thing of the past for the next few years.

More Info https://balkon.solar/news/2025/06/02/will-new-iec-norms-kill-plug-in-pv/

This is the draft of our #DIY #secondlife #solar Gudie.

Learn how to use old #solarpanels and turn them into #PlugInPV systems.

Download: https://balkon.solar/news/2025/05/28/solar-secondlife-magazine-draft/

And if you have remarks, hints or spot mistakes please tell us!

There is no need to guard #solar, everyone should use it!

So we have written a letter to #SFS FINNISH STANDARDS, #SESKO ry and the Ministry of the Environment urging them to create the necessary regulations to make #PluginPV legal in #Finland.

https://balkon.solar/news/2025/05/24/making-plug-in-pv-legal-in-finland/

We have written an open letter to the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection on the risks of Plug-In-PV and are open to participate in a process with stakeholders from civil society, industry and citizens to make safe #PlugInPV easily available for consumers in #Norway.

https://balkon.solar/news/2025/05/10/open-letter-to-norwegian-directorate-for-civil-protection-on-the-risks-of-plug-in-pv/

We are working on an english version of our #DIY #2ndlife for old #solarpanels als #pluginpv Systems guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13xE6473wHG42TWyKxPDSLBE4DLvMBhQQEoVgdKEotQ4/edit?usp=sharing

You find the German version here: https://balkon.solar/news/2025/04/23/stecker-solar-selber-machen-magazin/

If you wish to volunteer and help us, we would be forever grateful to you!

Wir haben mal durchgerechnet für wen sich ein Speicher lohnt und wann nicht https://balkon.solar/news/2025/05/05/fuer-wen-lohnt-sich-ein-steckerspeicher/

Kurzfassung: Je mehr Stromverbrauch und je mehr Solarpanels, desto besser.

It seems #Norway is the first Nordic country to “legalize” #pluginpv: https://www.dsb.no/elsikkerhet/aktuelt-elsikkerhet2/pluggbare-solcellepaneler-innebarer-risiko/

Even though the text by the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Preparedness talks a lot about the risks, it allows plugging in at a dedicated circuit.

Strangely no upper limit.

On @Grist Akielly Hu asks:

#Balconysolar took off in Germany. Why not the US? - our chair @sbamueller explains: "The 800W threshold is considered low enough that even in the country’s oldest homes, the wiring can withstand (...) even the worst of worst-case scenarios"

The article explains very well what are the next steps the US would have to take to make #pluginpv feasible:

Develop a standard accepted by Underwriters Laboratories and complies with the National Electrical Code. And a compatible ground fault circuit interrupter.

https://grist.org/energy/balcony-solar-took-off-in-germany-why-not-the-us/

Pictures: Some German Houses with Plugin PV systems on the balcony and elsewhere.

Der #Sommer steht vor der Tür und mit Glück gibt's jetzt ein lautloses Stromsparwunder frei Haus:

https://www.duh.de/mitmachen/gewinnspiel-energiewende/?entryid=414333

#PluginPV mit refurbished #solarpanel #solarpower #solarenergy

How does #pluginpv work in #Ukraine?

Olena from #EcoClub #Rivne put a unit on her balcony and wrote down what happens.

Spoiler: It works, it produces electricity.

And it seems we do not need to change any laws as it is already legal in Ukraine!

https://balkon.solar/news/2025/04/02/putting-solar-on-a-balcony-in-ukraine-what-can-happen/

How does safe #pluginpv work in #Germany?

We explained it here: https://balkon.solar/news/2025/03/17/how-does-plug-in-pv-in-germany-work/

Good news about our #pluginpv project in #Ukraine: “Yesterday we completed the installation of the panel: my husband fixed all the elements and ran the cables to the balcony.”

Our project partners from #EcoClubRivne are checking out how to install #solar on the #balcony. How to set ups such a system with a small battery, because there are lots of #blackouts in Ukraine, due to the destruction of the #powergrid by Russia.

Of course we also try to explore what landlords and gridoperators think and if they try to block small #pv.

More Info: https://balkon.solar/news/2024/09/27/ukraine/

Först ödelägger svenskarna #Schopfheim och sedan tillåter de inte ens sina medborgare att använda Solcellsplugg!

@henrihorn