In Austria, plug-and-play balcony power plants are gaining popularity. These mini-PV systems allow residents of rental and owner-occupied apartments to generate their own solar power, thus saving energy costs. However, as in Germany, there are certain regulations – particularly the question of registering such a system. When do you have to register a balcony power plant in Austria, where do you register it, and what legal regulations apply in 2025? This guide answers the most important questions for private individuals who want to operate a balcony PV system in Austria.
Introduction: Mini Solar Systems for Home
A balcony power plant (also called a plug-in photovoltaic system, plug-in solar system, or mini-PV system) usually consists of one or two solar modules and an inverter that converts the produced direct current into household alternating current. The system is simply connected to the apartment's grid via a suitable socket – an uncomplicated solution for using one's own solar power. In Austria, such plug-in systems have been explicitly permitted for several years. The maximum feed-in capacity is limited to 800 watts, which roughly corresponds to the simultaneous operation of a pair of hotplates or multiple computers. These 800 W refer to the inverter output; the solar module output may be higher, as long as the inverter is limited to 800 W output (typically, balcony power plants have module capacities up to ~1500–2000 Wp).
Due to government incentives and legal changes, balcony power plants have recently been heavily promoted. For example, since January 1, 2024, VAT has been waived on PV systems up to 35 kWp – thus, balcony PV systems are also exempt from VAT. In addition, some legal hurdles have been removed, for example, regarding the consent of apartment owners (more on this later). The acquisition of a balcony power plant has thus become financially more attractive and legally simpler, which explains the great interest.
Despite the simplified framework, there are reporting obligations that one must be aware of. In the next section, we will look at what the legal situation in Austria prescribes and where to register your balcony power plant.
Legal Situation and Registration Obligation in Austria
In Austria, the legal situation for balcony power plants is relatively citizen-friendly. A small plug-in PV system up to 800 W can be installed by practically any household without extensive permits. However, it is important to inform the grid operator in good time. Specifically: For plug-and-play PV systems up to 800 W, no official permit is required, but there is a reporting obligation to the grid operator. This means that before the balcony power plant goes into operation, the responsible electricity grid operator must be informed.
When to report? Legally, a notification at least two weeks before commissioning of the system is required. This period is intended to give the grid operator the opportunity to, for example, check or replace the electricity meter. In practice, it often works like this: You fill out an online form (almost all grid operators offer online portals for this) and state that you will connect a balcony power plant with xy watts in two weeks. If you hear nothing to the contrary within this time, you can connect the system after the 2 weeks have passed. Explicit written permission from the grid operator usually does not come – silence within the deadline counts as consent (similar to a notification procedure). Important: The grid operator generally cannot refuse registration as long as the system complies with the requirements. For balcony power plants up to 800 W, there is no reservation of approval, only the reporting obligation.
What happens after registration? Often, the grid operator first checks what type of meter you have in your house. If an old Ferraris meter without a reverse lock is still installed, a modern digital bi-directional meter is usually installed before you commission the PV system. This meter exchange is free of charge for you, as it is necessary for correct measurement. The new meter ensures that excess solar power can flow into the grid without causing the meter to run backward. By the way, there is no remuneration for fed-in surplus electricity in Austria – so the focus of balcony power plants is on self-consumption (more on this in the PV storage section). After the meter exchange (if necessary), you can officially switch on your balcony power plant.
Who is responsible? The regional distribution system operator (DSO), i.e., the electricity grid company that supplies your area, is always responsible for the registration. In Vienna, this is, for example, Wiener Netze, in Lower Austria Netz NÖ, in Tyrol Tinetz, etc. Which grid operator is responsible for you is stated on your electricity bill. Registration is – as mentioned – usually done online via a customer portal or form. Some grid operators also offer PDF forms for download, which can be filled out and sent in. In case of doubt, you can call your grid operator and ask about "registration of a small photovoltaic generation system up to 800 W" – they will then explain the procedure. It is important that you register before the first connection (deadline 2 weeks).
By the way: No costs are incurred for the registration itself. It is merely a notification. There are also no ongoing fees (as might be incurred for larger PV systems) for balcony power plants.
Registration confirmation: After submitting your data, you will usually receive an acknowledgment of receipt or a copy of the notification. Keep this safe so that you can prove, if in doubt, that you have fulfilled your obligation. Should the grid operator have any queries (e.g., unclear information), they will contact you within the two-week period. If there is no response, you can assume that everything is in order. In most cases, this process runs smoothly and without any special incidents – grid operators are now familiar with the many registrations and have standardized procedures.
Who needs to be informed? (Landlords, Apartment Owners)
Besides the grid operator as the official body, there is also an interpersonal "notification obligation": informing landlords or co-owners. Because even if the law has significantly simplified the installation of balcony PV systems, residents in a rental building or a condominium complex should not simply mount panels without involving the other parties.
Condominiums (WEG): Previously, in many cases, the consent of all co-owners of a residential building was required to, for example, install solar modules on the outside of a balcony. This could easily fail, as even one objection could block everything. However, since September 1, 2024, a new regulation applies in the apartment ownership law: If an apartment owner plans a change (such as the installation of a balcony power plant), the consent of the other owners is automatically deemed granted, unless an objection is made within 2 months. And even if someone objects, this objection must be justified – e.g., with important reasons such as safety concerns. In short: In an apartment owners' association, you may install a balcony power plant as long as there are no valid reasons against it within 2 months. The hurdles for balcony solar have thus significantly decreased. In practice, you should still inform your neighbors/owners in advance (the law already requires this before the 2-month period begins). It is best to present your project at the owners' meeting or send a brief information to everyone – this way, questions can be clarified. Since balcony power plants are not considered structural changes in the classical sense (they are reversible modules, not fixed components), there is usually little reason for rejection. Many WEGs even welcome balcony power plants as a contribution to the energy community.
Rental apartments: For tenants in Austria, the situation (as of 2025) is currently still a bit more difficult. Unlike in Germany, tenancy law has not yet been explicitly adapted to privilege balcony power plants. This means: As a tenant, you still need the landlord's permission if the installation changes the rented property in any way (e.g., drilling for brackets on the balcony railing, visible modules on the facade, etc.). Installing a balcony power plant without the owner's consent is risky – in the worst case, it violates the rental agreement. Unfortunately, tenants in Austria do not have a clear legal right to approval for a balcony power plant. So, you are dependent on your landlord's goodwill. However, many landlords are open if you explain factually what is planned (small modules on the balcony, no damage to the building, compliance with all safety standards). It is best to obtain written permission. Should the landlord reject it without justification, theoretically only legal action remains, the outcome of which is uncertain. However, politicians are working to grant tenants similar rights to apartment owners in the future – the regulations may change in the near future. Until then: Seek communication with the landlord and ideally obtain their consent.
In summary: You officially register the balcony power plant with the grid operator (2 weeks in advance). Informally, you should involve the landlord or owners' association to avoid conflicts – however, in owner-occupied properties, most legal barriers have now fallen, and landlords are also not allowed to refuse consent without a valid reason.
When do you have to register a balcony power plant?
In Austria, the timing is clearly defined: A balcony power plant must be registered with the grid operator at least two weeks before the planned commissioning. In practice, this means that you should send the registration at least 14 days before you plug in your PV system. This deadline is legally enshrined and important so that the grid operator has time to make any preparations (e.g., meter exchange).
Example: You want to switch on your balcony power plant on July 1st. Then you should notify the grid operator by June 17th at the latest, ideally with precise information about the system (800 W inverter, number of modules, manufacturer, etc., depending on the form). If the notification is submitted too late, it is technically a violation – in practice, a few days' delay is unlikely to have consequences. Nevertheless: observe the 2-week deadline to be on the safe side.
May one test beforehand? Many people wonder whether they are allowed to connect the balcony power plant for testing before official registration (e.g., to check if everything is working). Formally: no, continuous operation should not take place before the 2 weeks have passed. However, a brief functional test of a few minutes will hardly be traceable. Nevertheless, one should be careful, as prolonged unsupervised operation without registration violates the rules. It is advisable to complete the registration early, so you don't have this pressure. You can also register before the system is physically mounted – the main thing is that 2 weeks have passed by the time of commissioning.
What happens if you don't register? Officially, you risk problems with the grid operator. If they become aware of the system, they could insist on immediate shutdown until the registration is completed. In practice, however, it is unlikely that the grid operator will find out about an unregistered mini-system as long as no negative effects occur (the power is low). Nevertheless: Should irregularities occur, for example due to a reverse-running meter, or should damage occur, you will be in a bad position without registration. The grid operator then has the right to demand the immediate removal of the system from the operator and, under certain circumstances, to impose a fine. Insurance-wise, you are also outside the safe area if the system is not registered. It can, for example, be that the liability insurance does not cover damage because the balcony power plant was operated "illegally".
Our advice is therefore clear: Register your balcony power plant at least two weeks before commissioning, as required by the regulation. Most providers make it easy for you, and so you avoid any risk. After two weeks and, if necessary, the meter exchange, you will then have the green light for your personal energy transition from the balcony.
Advantages of a PV Storage Unit in Combination with a Balcony Power Plant
In Austria, many balcony power plant owners are also considering storing their solar power. Since there is no feed-in tariff for surplus electricity, the focus is on self-consumption – and this is exactly where a PV storage unit comes into play. The idea: Instead of sending surplus electricity unused into the grid, a battery stores it and makes it available again in the evening or during hours with little sun. What are the concrete advantages of this?
• More self-consumption, less grid reliance: With a battery storage system, the self-consumed portion of the generated electricity can be significantly increased. Without storage, one usually has to rely entirely on electricity from the energy provider in the evening because the sun is gone. With storage, the batteries charged during the day can, for example, power lighting, the television, or other devices during the evening hours. So, solar energy is "buffered" from the day for later consumption. Since – as mentioned – surplus electricity is not remunerated in Austria, a storage unit enormously increases the system's efficiency: Every kilowatt-hour that is not fed into the grid but used by oneself directly saves money (currently around 20–30 cents, depending on the electricity tariff).
• Independence and Security: A balcony power plant with storage increases independence from the electricity provider to some extent. Price increases affect you less if you can cover part of your needs from the battery. Certain storage solutions can also help in the event of power outages: Some systems available on the market enable so-called island operation, which provides a limited emergency power supply in the event of a grid outage. While a single balcony PV with storage cannot make an entire household self-sufficient, a blackout-ready system could bridge basic needs (light, charging mobile phone/laptop, perhaps a small refrigerator) in an emergency. It's worth looking at special products if this topic is relevant.
• Environment and Sustainability: Every kilowatt-hour of solar power consumed by oneself means less reliance on (partly fossil) grid electricity. A storage unit ensures that even more solar energy remains in one's own household and is utilized – this increases CO₂ savings. While the production of a battery also consumes resources, modern lithium-ion storage units have a long lifespan and can store electricity for many years. Overall, a storage unit improves the ecological balance of a PV system, as less surplus green electricity remains unused and instead the demand for conventional energy is further reduced.
• Easy Integration: Many of the storage systems offered for balcony power plants are deliberately kept simple, so that even laypeople can install them. Often, these are compact boxes or modular stackable batteries that are connected between the solar module and the socket via plug-and-play. Manufacturers ensure that their storage units are compatible with common micro-inverters and panels. Thus, a storage unit can also be retrofitted later if one notices that a lot of surplus electricity often goes into the grid. The capacity of these storage units typically ranges between 1 kWh and 5 kWh – enough to bridge basic load for a few hours to half a day. For tenants, there are portable solutions that do not require drilling and can simply be taken along when moving.
Is a storage unit worthwhile? The question of profitability depends on several factors: acquisition costs of the storage unit, electricity price, own consumption profile. Small storage units (1–2 kWh) are available starting from a few hundred euros and can increase self-consumption by 20–30%. With high electricity prices, this can pay off over the lifespan. Financially, the situation in Austria is favorable for storage due to the lack of a feed-in tariff: otherwise, surplus electricity is given away to the grid – with storage, on the other hand, you directly save electricity costs. Ecologically, a storage unit is also to be evaluated positively, as it maximizes the share of renewable energy in self-consumption.
In many cases, a battery storage unit is therefore sensible if one can afford the additional costs. However, it is not a must: Even without storage, a balcony power plant naturally brings savings, especially with simultaneous consumption (e.g., washing machine running at noon when the sun is shining). A possible compromise is to start without storage first and observe the system. If a lot of surplus electricity often goes into the grid, a storage unit can always be retrofitted.
Summary
Balcony power plants in Austria offer an uncomplicated way to generate solar power at home. Up to 800 W of power, they can be operated without approval; only the reporting obligation to the grid operator two weeks before commissioning must be observed. Anyone who completes this formality can legally use their balcony power plant and benefits from lower electricity costs and greater independence. The legal framework in 2025 is very favorable: No VAT, no major bureaucracy, and even in condominiums, balcony power plants are now considered privileged, so neighbors can hardly block them anymore. For tenants, consultation with the landlord is still necessary, but here too, an improvement in their situation is emerging in the long term.
A balcony power plant achieves its greatest benefit when the generated solar power is consumed directly. With an optional PV storage unit, you can further increase the self-consumption rate and use solar energy even in the evening. This is particularly worthwhile in Austria, as surplus electricity would otherwise go into the grid without remuneration. Overall, mini-PV systems offer households without their own roof the chance to actively participate in the energy transition, with manageable costs and a short amortization period (often just a few years).
Are you interested in generating your own solar power? Check out NYLYN Solar! There you will find high-quality balcony power plants, suitable PV storage units, and solar modules – ideally matched for households in Austria. Start your own mini-solar system now and secure a piece of energy freedom for your home. At NYLYN Solar, you will receive expert advice and the right equipment for your balcony power plant adventure!
