Australia needs to follow Germany’s example and regulate a renters balcony solar battery policy. Tenants do not have the right to put on solar and batteries, due partly to insecure tenancies and the whims of the landlord. That must change to provide cost of living relief to tenants.

Consumer Renters

• Adopt the German solar balcony registration – renters can put solar on balconies and areas
• Landlords cannot stop them. They cannot demand their own electrician if it is an approved system. 
• Regulation change.  German model to be adopted.
• Can do within 1 month of being elected.
• Provide a $3,000 loan to renters for purchase of a balcony PV/Battery system.
• Payback period 3 years.
• Do the financing through the electricity retailer or small lenders, including Penti, Brighte, Humm, or others. They would be keen to provide to that market with potential for further lending.
• A program to encourage landlords is unlikely to be effective, although WA State Labor has this policy for their elections in March 2025

The Numbers 

• 10.8 million dwellings.
• 16% apartments or 1.7m
• 8m of those dwellings are houses. 70% are houses and 13% townhouses.
• Of those 8m houses, 66% are owner occupied (5.28m) with 30% outright ownership.
• The number of rental houses is 30% of the houses or 2.8 million.
• The rental percentage is similar for apartments (0.56m)
• Landlords have no incentive to put on solar and batteries for their tenants either in houses or in apartments.
• Apartments are even more difficult with limited roofspace. The roofspace is often owned by the Body Corporate. Body Corporate Associations are often difficult to deal with.

Australian Solar and Battery Government Incentives

Most Australian policies fail as they think landlords will be generous and put on solar for their tenants. Landlords don’t make more money and they don’t lose money with solar. None of the existing incentives actually work with landlords. Legislation could drive adoption. However, we know what happened when the Labor party went near those landlords and self-managed super funds a few years ago. Any change was fiercely defended. Even this policy would probably invoke pushback from real estate industry or from landlord associations.

The Guardian reports manufacturers say installing a couple of 300-watt panels will give a saving of up to 30% on a typical household’s electricity bill. With an outlay of €400-800 and with no installation cost, the panels could pay for themselves within six years. Other countries including Spain, Italy and Poland have rapid uptake and balcony power is gaining in popularity in France. Meanwhile, Belgium, which outlawed plug-in solar devices over fears of having unregistered systems feeding into the grid, will lift its ban. Ireland continues with its ban.

Standards

• 24 out of 27+2 European countries permitted them.
• Ireland doesn’t as it demands a plug and the lodgement of form by electrician.
• The DIN VDE V 0100-551-1 (VDE V 0100-551-1) from 2022 is still undergoing revision.
• Allows standard plug & 800W.
• Can be purchased online or in discount stores

More Reading: Renters balcony solar battery policy

1. If 1.5m Germans have them there must be something in it’: how balcony solar is taking off https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/18/if-a-million-germans-have-them-there-must-be-something-in-it-how-balcony-solar-is-taking-off
2. Solar balconies are booming in Germany. Here’s what you need to know about the popular home tech | Euronews’. Accessed: Feb. 25, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/07/23/solar-balconies-are-booming-in-germany-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-popular-home-
3. [11] ‘State Labor promises $5,000 home battery rebate to slash bills, soak up rooftop solar – One Step Off The Grid’. Accessed: Feb. 25, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/state-labor-promises-5000-home-battery-rebate-to-slash-bills-soak-up-rooftop-solar/
4. [12] ‘2021 Census count includes Australians living on wheels and water, but most of us still firmly on land | Australian Bureau of Statistics’. Accessed: Mar. 03, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/2021-census-count-includes-australians-living-wheels-and-water-most-us-still-firmly-land
5. Hang out the washing or the PV system? Number of “balcony” solar plants in Germany tops 400,000 https://reneweconomy.com.au/hang-out-the-washing-or-the-pv-system-number-of-balcony-solar-plants-in-germany-tops-400000/
6. Germany simplifies registration of balcony photovoltaic units https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/germany-simplifies-registration-balcony-photovoltaic-units