Intersolar Europe 2024, the largest solar energy event of the year, held in Munich from June 18th to 21st, has just concluded. Compared with SNEC, the intersolar exhibition in Germany was also very popular and full of highlights.
At Intersolar Europe 2024, "Balcony PV system" became popular!
At this year's Intersolar Europe , the balcony pv was amazing and even became one of the most watched products at the exhibition.
At the exhibition site, you can see some balcony photovoltaic products on display. According to reports, the application scenarios of balcony photovoltaics are relatively simple. It can be used with a balcony, occupies a small area, can be plug-and-play, and is is easy to install, so it is very popular among overseas home users.
As for the term balcony photovoltaic, as the name suggests, it refers to photovoltaics mainly used in balconies and other home areas.Compare it with the household pv power station we are familiar with, the scale of balcony pv is much smaller. It may be possible to build a balcony pv power station with 1-2 photovoltaic panels and an inverter.
After assembly is completed in the appropriate location, the solar modules are connected to the inverter. The inverter then converts the DC power produced by the module from sunlight into AC power. Balcony power stations are usually modular and can be expanded as needed.
Strictly speaking, balcony pv are also considered a type of household pv. But compared with conventional large-scale rooftop pv, the biggest advantage of balcony pv is that the cost is much lower. At the same time, it also unlocks more usable space, such as some villas, large flats and even high-rise residences, which can become application scenarios.
In terms of equipment safety, according to the German Consumer Advice Center, solar power stations are generally very safe. The technology used in solar power stations has matured. Also suitable for normal pv systems if the inverter provided is certified accordingly. “Even if a device malfunctions, there is actually no safety risk during normal operation.” said by Consumer Central.
The number exceeded 500,000! Balcony Pv System becomes the preferred cost-effective project
The popularity of balcony pv overseas has actually been traced for a long time. Recently, according to the Federal Network Agency, the number of balcony pv systems exceeded the 500,000 mark for the first time, which is double the number since mid-2023. Since the second quarter of this year, more than 94,000 micro solar systems have been put into use. According to estimates, the record of approximately 100,000 units installed in the second quarter of last year is likely to be broken.
The reason for such rapid growth is mainly due to its simple process and relatively low price. It is understood that the cheapest complete package for balcony pv power stations overseas starts at only €600 (about RMB 4,660), and the most expensive model may reach € 2,000 (about RMB 15,500).
In addition, electricity prices are high in Europe. It is understood that in the second half of 2023, the cost of electricity per kilowatt hour in Germany is about 42 euro cents (€0.4162), including taxes and tariffs. This amount makes Germany’s electricity costs It ranks among the best among the 27 EU member states.
It is nothing new for many home users to choose clean energy. Compared with the daily electricity expenses of installing a balcony photovoltaic system at a lower cost, most users still prefer the cost-effectiveness of the former.
For example, a 550W photovoltaic module covers an area of about 2.5 ㎡. According to the standard of 4 hours of effective light a day, it can generate about 2.2 kilowatt hours of electricity a day, which is effective for a year. Calculated as 1000 hours, the annual power generation is about 550 kWh.
According to the calculation that the cost of electricity per kilowatt hour in Germany is about 42 euro cents (€0.4162 ), a balcony photovoltaic can save € 228.91 a year. In this way, the cost can basically be recovered within a few years to achieve profitability.
In addition, when the power generation of balcony photovoltaics reaches its peak at noon, the power generation will even exceed the electricity consumption. At this time, other uses can be considered, such as charging electric vehicles, or using some equipment to convert the power into other forms and store it for for emergencies.
The layout of overseas enterprises is accelerating! Can the domestic market be opened?
With the popularity of Balcony Pv, some European companies specializing in balcony photovoltaics have also emerged. For example, EET, a home photovoltaic system start-up born out of Graz University of Technology, has achieved initial success in Austria, Germany and other places. . EET company was established in 2017. The company designed and developed the SolMate mini photovoltaic system.
The SolMate mini photovoltaic system is specially designed and developed for balconies. It mainly includes lightweight photovoltaic panels and external power sockets. It can also be equipped with an optional compact energy storage system. Even small balconies in urban apartments have enough space to install. The lightweight photovoltaic panels can be easily inserted into the socket, plug and play, without the need to install additional procedures, and are very simple for users to install and use by themselves. The DC power is converted into AC power through the inverter for home use. According to EET, Balcony PV is expected to provide 25-50% of the electricity consumption of an average household.
Currently, EET's Graz factory has 70 employees and produces 1,000 sets of SolMate systems every month. It has established a firm foothold in the three German-speaking countries of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, and has begun to enter the French and Italian markets. Jan Senn, marketing and sales manager of EET, said that the production capacity of the Graz factory can reach 10,000 units, which can be further improved through cooperation with contract manufacturers and process optimization.
Of course, it is not just European companies. At the intersolar exhibition in Germany, domestic companies such as Ginlog, Hoymiles,APsystems, and Tsun have launched products suitable for balcony photovoltaics.
It is worth mentioning that Balcony Pv have become popular overseas, but currently there are basically no on-site projects being promoted in China. Can this overseas model be successfully replicated in China?
Taking Shanghai as an example, relevant data shows that there are approximately 8.406 million existing residential units in Shanghai, totaling approximately 730 million square meters. According to conservative estimates, if 50% of these 8.6 million residences can be equipped with balcony photovoltaics, based on the area of 2-3 ㎡per house, then there will be approximately 8.6 to 12.09 million square meters of area for construction. From a converted perspective, Shanghai’s Balcony Pv have a potential market of 5-6GW. Looking at the whole country, the potential market for Balcony Pv will be hundreds or thousands of GW, and the entire market size will reach the trillions level.
