DIY solar panels fixed to residential balconies are all the rage in Germany, gaining popularity in Spain and have recently been legalised in Belgium.

Balcony solar panels are compact photovoltaic (PV) systems designed for urban environments, particularly apartments or homes with limited space. The panels are mounted on a balcony’s railings to capture sunlight. The captured energy is then either fed back into the national grid, resulting in reduced electricity bills for the user, or stored in batteries for complete self-sufficiency.

Costing between €400 and €800, these panels are popular for their compactness, especially in countries like Spain, where two thirds of the population live in apartments. Manufacturers claim installing two 300-watt panels will give a saving of up to 30 per cent on a typical household’s electricity bill.

Another advantage is how easy it is to install them. Many balcony solar panels come with a simple plug-and-play design. They can be connected directly to a household socket or a dedicated circuit without the need for special certification if they do not exceed a maximum output, which ranges between 600 watts and 1,000 watts in European countries that have embraced the technology.

In Germany, they are known as Balkonkraftwerk (balcony power plants) and have been installed on about 1.5 million balconies. Energy prices in the country have risen sharply since Germany started weaning itself off Russian gas following the invasion of Ukraine.

With a renewable energy share of 13.4 per cent, Malta lags behind other European countries. Could DIY plug-in solar panels placed on balconies become a common sight on the island’s streetscapes and help bump up the country’s numbers?

There is also a technical limitation because, by law, solar panels have to be connected directly to a property’s electricity meter- Karl Azzopardi, major importer and distributor of solar products

Karl Azzopardi, owner of Solar Solutions Ltd, a major importer and distributor of solar products, said that, though the company does not offer such panels, he was open to the idea if they are deemed safe.

“You need to make sure the panels are bolted securely to the balcony. If they aren’t installed properly, they’ll fly away with the first strong wind,” he said, adding there is also a technical limitation because, by law, solar panels have to be connected directly to a property’s electricity meter.

Andre Pizzuto, president of the Chamber of Architects, said the concept had potential but he had concerns about the aesthetics.

“There’s already a lot of chaos. Imagine looking out across the Grand Harbour and seeing a wall of panels,” he said. “Having said that, we do need to explore ideas that maximise the use of space for energy generation and there are some emerging technologies that make solar panels easier on the eye.”

The panels are mounted on a balcony’s railings to capture sunlight. Photo: Shutterstock.com

The orientation of the panels is also a factor. He added that their effectiveness would vary depending on the direction they face.

Luciano Mule Stagno, director of the university’s Institute for Sustainable Energy, said there is still plenty of roof space left to be exploited before balcony solar panels need to be considered.

As part of government-approved plans under consultation, developers constructing properties to maximum height limitations will be required to install photovoltaic panels or other renewable energy sources on the roof.

Engineer Abigail Cutajar, CEO of the Climate Action Authority, a national body established to mitigate the impacts of climate change, played a key role in the technical aspects of the plan.

However, she noted that current planning laws make it hard for people to install panels on their balconies without complications. This means that, unlike in the countries where they have become part of the streetscape, a homeowner cannot simply put a panel on their balcony without prior approval.

“While one can apply to install such panels, the Planning Authority’s policies related to aesthetics do not currently support these systems,” she said.