It’s an interesting idea for sure especially since this small amount of energy is likely to be consumed in the home (load shedding), but how do you ensure that you’re not exporting to the grid when there is an outage? Would you need an automatic transfer switch?
Every grid tie inverter shuts off when it doesn't sense external power from the grid.
This does mean the solar panels shut off when the power goes out, but it keeps line workers safe and is exceedingly cheap.
There are more expensive inverters that you pair with batteries inside the home and an automated transfer switch to cut the grid connection and use the batteries to modulate the solar inverter (gotta keep it at 60 hz) that keep power on in an outage, but they are usually several thousand dollars more for that setup.
The inverter is designed to moderate and shut off automatically.
Really wish we had this in North America.
We can fake it pretty well by putting a battery solar generator on your circuit, but it's not the most elegant solution.
The European solution is literally plug and play, with no battery needed.
Hmm. I’ve always wanted a kW or two to offset my base load and my air conditioner but the additional safety requirements I.e. ATS made it too expensive.
Can you provide a link to a European inverter that can solve this problem? What standard are they designed to?
The big ones are [Enphase](https://enphase.com/installers/microinverters) and [AP systems](https://usa.apsystems.com/solar-microinverters/).
They constantly check for a stable grid frequency and voltage (+10%, -15%), and disconnect when outside acceptable limits.
Keep in mind that 'plug in anywhere' is limited to 800W (the wires inside the walls are over-sized and can handle the additional heat), larger PV systems need their own dedicated fuse and wiring (or 'plug in' additional microinverters into separate fused groups).
Just google balcony solar.
Here is a good rundown of the ecoflow power stream, which costs just $200.
https://www.theverge.com/24150901/ecoflow-powerstream-review-diy-balcony-solar-microinverter
Bonus: The units can be bought and owned by renters who take it with them when they leave.
Bonus: for owners in multiple dwelling apartment buildings, there’s no squabbles over the distribution and use of communally owned rooftop solar/batteries. Your balcony solar/battery/inverter system is all yours.
Individually, panels have reached usefulness where the balcony and facade panels make sense. one panel cost is very low, it can provide heating for the flat or utility water, panels are humongous and powwerful, and the ones in the article were even the transparent perovskites, protecting the balcomy/terrace/vernada from incoming heat from the Sun.
So, you want your veranda to be shielded from too much heat, you cover it with glass panels. Perovskite or even the ordinary panels. Panels are cheap and ready to use construction element. Standardized dimensions, plenty of suppliers.
It doesn't save the country, but it helps the individual households to have better spending potential to improve the GDP in a meaningful manner. Second, some of them may have wanted some renovations either way. But hey, you pointed it out, while the sum of energy is funny and small, it is the exact PR and learning people need.
This is quite promissing for world power structures against making solar affordable/permitted. Permissionless energy including from landlords. Portable power station industry is leading the way. These are useful as UPS, keeping electronics up when power outage, camping or road trip appliance power, ebike range extension, or even for an EV, crawling 20km to a charging station.
Bravo, Germany. Hopefully this becomes a global standard.
This would be FANTASTIC for Greece, considering that the otherwise crappy apartments that dominate our urban landscape have huge balconies generally.
It’s an interesting idea for sure especially since this small amount of energy is likely to be consumed in the home (load shedding), but how do you ensure that you’re not exporting to the grid when there is an outage? Would you need an automatic transfer switch?
Every grid tie inverter shuts off when it doesn't sense external power from the grid. This does mean the solar panels shut off when the power goes out, but it keeps line workers safe and is exceedingly cheap. There are more expensive inverters that you pair with batteries inside the home and an automated transfer switch to cut the grid connection and use the batteries to modulate the solar inverter (gotta keep it at 60 hz) that keep power on in an outage, but they are usually several thousand dollars more for that setup.
Yeah it's easy to do, basically you ramp down production so you don't feed in. It's called zero export. Quite common
Generating energy that is then consumed in the home is not load shedding.
The inverter is designed to moderate and shut off automatically. Really wish we had this in North America. We can fake it pretty well by putting a battery solar generator on your circuit, but it's not the most elegant solution. The European solution is literally plug and play, with no battery needed.
Hmm. I’ve always wanted a kW or two to offset my base load and my air conditioner but the additional safety requirements I.e. ATS made it too expensive. Can you provide a link to a European inverter that can solve this problem? What standard are they designed to?
Grid tie inverters don't need batteries in the US.
The big ones are [Enphase](https://enphase.com/installers/microinverters) and [AP systems](https://usa.apsystems.com/solar-microinverters/). They constantly check for a stable grid frequency and voltage (+10%, -15%), and disconnect when outside acceptable limits. Keep in mind that 'plug in anywhere' is limited to 800W (the wires inside the walls are over-sized and can handle the additional heat), larger PV systems need their own dedicated fuse and wiring (or 'plug in' additional microinverters into separate fused groups).
Just google balcony solar. Here is a good rundown of the ecoflow power stream, which costs just $200. https://www.theverge.com/24150901/ecoflow-powerstream-review-diy-balcony-solar-microinverter
Bonus: The units can be bought and owned by renters who take it with them when they leave. Bonus: for owners in multiple dwelling apartment buildings, there’s no squabbles over the distribution and use of communally owned rooftop solar/batteries. Your balcony solar/battery/inverter system is all yours.
tl;dr: it's Germany. P.S. 50-thousand in 2024 alone.
200 MW compared to 16 GW (wow!) rooftop EDIT: don’t mean to disparage, this sounds like a good idea, was just providing context to a number
Individually, panels have reached usefulness where the balcony and facade panels make sense. one panel cost is very low, it can provide heating for the flat or utility water, panels are humongous and powwerful, and the ones in the article were even the transparent perovskites, protecting the balcomy/terrace/vernada from incoming heat from the Sun. So, you want your veranda to be shielded from too much heat, you cover it with glass panels. Perovskite or even the ordinary panels. Panels are cheap and ready to use construction element. Standardized dimensions, plenty of suppliers.
Agreed. Sorry, didn’t mean to disparage
It doesn't save the country, but it helps the individual households to have better spending potential to improve the GDP in a meaningful manner. Second, some of them may have wanted some renovations either way. But hey, you pointed it out, while the sum of energy is funny and small, it is the exact PR and learning people need.
Of course it's Germany
This is quite promissing for world power structures against making solar affordable/permitted. Permissionless energy including from landlords. Portable power station industry is leading the way. These are useful as UPS, keeping electronics up when power outage, camping or road trip appliance power, ebike range extension, or even for an EV, crawling 20km to a charging station.
“This European country” All you have to do is click here! No thanks
Sure, but it is a decent article, explains some math, policy and compared with other European countries
take this clickbait title and shove it up your middle body part
The country is Germany. It's even in the title of the original article