balcony solar

Germany’s Panelretter is now offering German customers plug-in solar devices that use refurbished second-life solar modules. There are three different models with output ranging from 400 W to 810 W. The prices for the complete sets start at €220 ($232).

At The Smarter E Europe event – recently held in Munich, Germany – Growatt shared insights on the European market. It reports a slowdown in the residential segment in Central Europe due to lower demand, but Growatt VP Lisa Zhang said she expects more growth in the commercial and industrial (C&I) solar and storage sectors.

A new manufacturer is entering the PV market. Marstek initially focused on power banks, but is now showcasing a range of products for the booming DIY solar market, including a user-friendly, AC-coupled battery solution for balconies.

Portable solar generators are making their way from the fringes of solar and energy storage to become a mainstream consumer item. The rise has been charged by a range of factors that have created massive brands. Where did the sector emerge from, who was buying before, who is buying now, and what’s next? Tristan Rayner reports.

Chinese manufacturer Dyness has unveiled a 1.6 kWh battery designed for balcony PV systems, allowing users to stack up to four units for a total storage capacity of 6.4 kWh, with a reported lifespan of more than 8,000 cycles.

A new generation of flexible, lightweight modules is entering the market. With back contact technology offering its own form of design flexibility and robustness, the new products could crack a hard-to-address market segment.

China’s DAH Solar has added a specially designed microinverter to its Full-screen module, making the ‘SolarUnit’ a formidable offering for the rooftop PV segment. DAH Solar President Shenheng Xie took pv magazine through some of the system’s key features and the advantages they promise once installed.

China’s Mibet has developed a mounting system for PV modules installed on balcony railings, terraces, gardens, and garage rooftops. It offers a maximum title angle of 30 degrees and can withstand wind loads of 30 meters per second.

Romania-based startup Photovoltaic Windows has developed an off-grid domestic hot water system powered by cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic semi-transparent glasses. It claims a 0.7 kW pilot installation on an apartment balcony in Bucharest resulted in annual savings of €1,100 ($1,202).

The government of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has allocated €10 million ($9.93 million) to support the deployment of balcony solar modules with a power output of up to 600 W.