My Balcony Solar Power System - 1 Year and Break-Even!
When I bought my first balcony solar system a little over a year ago, I was curious how long it would take to pay for itself. In June last year, I wrote here on Hive about the installation, the first results, and how much I still had to go before I reached the break-even point. Back then, my new system had already produced 145.62 kWh in just 1.5 months, saving me €52.20. It still needed 881.94 kWh to fully cover the cost of €370.
In July last year, I was happy to see my system outperform June with 90.02 kWh generated, worth about €32 in savings. At that point, I still needed 791 kWh to break even, and I even started thinking about adding more panels in the future.
Fast forward to today. I now have two balcony power plants, both running side by side, and they have been working away every single day since installation. Together they have now produced enough energy to completely cover their purchase costs. From this point on, every watt they generate is pure profit.
Looking at my app today, the system has generated 821.58 kWh since day one, avoiding more than 819 kg of CO₂ emissions. This year alone, it has already delivered over 431 kWh, and we are still in August. June and July remain the strongest months, with outputs around 90+ kWh each, but even in less sunny months, they still provide steady savings.
Stats 2024 - Starts May
Stats 2025 - To July
Breaking even after just over a year is even better than I expected when I started. It proves that balcony solar systems are not just a “feel good” project for the environment but can also make real financial sense.
I still have my panels lying flat on the balcony to catch as much sunlight as possible throughout the day. It is simple, it works, and it requires no special adjustments. And now that they are paid off, my focus is simply on enjoying the free electricity.
If you are thinking about getting a balcony solar system, I can honestly recommend it. It is one of the rare investments that benefits both your wallet and the planet at the same time. And trust me, watching those numbers climb in the app is strangely addictive.
Greetings!
louis
Good work.
That's really great. I did not expect you to make your money back that quickly. My rooftop system will take a lot longer, but it has really cut our bills. Balcony systems that just plug in are not currently legal in the UK, but I would hope they could be soon. So many people could benefit from this.
!BEER
Bigger System == Longer time for the Return :) But with a 2 plates System it's fine in a rental flat with a big balcony with enough space. Hopefully the UK will turn things in the right direction. wonder why they dont allow it.
I think it's mainly to do with electrical regulations. Feeding power into the house circuit could have risks.
I just saw this on the state of balcony solar in the UK. It's still not legal to just plug in, but some people are getting it anyway.
Hm... Strange. Hopefully it will be legal in the UK soon so even the brits can benefit from the sun ^.^ or wind ^.^ or water ^.^.
Our electrical regulations are quite strict. We find it strange that you are allowed to have power sockets in bathrooms. We are only allowed special isolated ones for running shavers or electric toothbrushes.
LOL, that's crazy. For example i plugged my Balcony Solar System just with a Plug in the outdoor Wall to connect into my Circle of Power. Yea, i mean safety first is all the time good.
View or trade
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BEER.Very nice , is your balcony south facing ?
More or less open to East, South and West. Thats why the 2 Platey lying down to catch the most time the sun.
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STOPWow! That is a fantastic result! I was living in a rented apartment for over 13 years, and I was envious of people who could run their solar panels... As I got my apartment recently, maybe it's time to take a look at these solutions that you did...
Can you recommend some specific brand, type, etc?
Thanks for sharing your results!
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They are more or less all good profitable. My Converter is from APSystems and have a Bluetooth/WiFi Connection to my WiFi/App to check things.
Panels from Like Sun GmbH / but that are more likely just the distributor... i found this tech-sheet to the panel itself... i dont know how good or bad that is but there are good offers on the internet these days.
Thanks for the information! 🙏
That's awesome. I am so jealous. I really want solar at my house, but I can't afford the upfront costs and I can't find a reputable place to by the panels and all that from. A 1 year ROI is pretty dang good!
Maybe Wind Energy could help?
Perhaps. We do often get a pretty steady breeze from the west, but the trees tend to block it. We have industrial wind farms to the west and east of where we live about 50 miles away or so.
Does it connect to the grid and pay you money back for your excess energy generated or does it just pay for itself in money saved on producing your own energy?
No, it's plugged into my energy circle where my devices are connected - like my fridge, pc, monitors etc. that way i need to pay less to my power-supplier and reducing the power i get from the power-supply system and my power-clock just runs slower ;)
Okay gotcha. That's a cool set up
is a lot of saving i would like have one too but i dont know how big is :D