Due to the high electricity prices and because many photovoltaic companies have been fully booked for months, so-called balcony power stations are booming. These are small systems with one or two panels and a maximum of 800 watts. They are plugged into a power outlet with a cable. They only need to be reported to the grid operators, although they will put them on the brakes sooner. E-Control board member Alfons Haber made it clear: “These microgeneration systems are also allowed with a Schuko plug.”
The reason for this clarification from the regulatory authority E-Control is the practice of the grid operators, who deal very differently with these small PV systems for self-build. So requirements about the Linz Netz GmbH with the notification that “a specialized electrical company must be engaged for the connection to the electrical installation” and the Vienna networking writing, a “connection via a plug is no longer allowed”.
Also Carinthia network writes in the registration form: “Small generation systems must be secured for feed-in or connected via special plug connections that are safe to touch”. At the same time, the grid operator’s parent company, Kelag, is selling a “plug-in solar power plant” itself. In Graz, where balcony power stations are even financially supported by the city, the network operator Graz . power grid according to standards according to which protective contact plugs are prohibited.
E-Control has already made a comment on its website about the mini-PV systems. The specific question of the admissibility of a Schuko plug connection was “bypassed” there, as Haber told the APA. The questions and answers from E-Control only say: “Small generation systems are often connected on the load side of a circuit” and further: “A specialist check of the electrical installation may be necessary, for example in the case of old installations”.
Consulting an electrician “pure recommendation”
Hiring an electrician is a “pure recommendation,” according to Haber, according to APA. In general, however, it is important to be careful and, for example, to ensure that there is an earth leakage circuit breaker in the electrical installation. The 800 watt limit must also be observed and extension cords must not be used. When choosing the product, it is important to pay attention to the CE marking, explains Haber. Because certified and approved microinverters are designed in such a way that they only conduct electricity when they detect a network.
The Consumer Information Association (VKI) has already discussed the plug-in solar power stations and advises to look carefully when buying. For example, it is important to have an “automatic separation point/net disconnection” that immediately stops the feed-in if the power goes out. According to the VKI, balcony power stations with 300 watts pay an acquisition cost of 500 to 700 euros in four to five years, depending on the size of the household, solar radiation and power consumption.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
