How Germany proved that plug-in solar is worth the investment
The war on Iran has triggered a growing interest in plug-in solar panels, which have long been all the rage in Germany.
Euronews.com4 min read7 views
Europe’s push to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels has received important support from renewable energy as the conflict involving Iran has triggered energy market disruptions.
According to a recent assessment by SolarPower Europe, generating electricity from sunlight has reduced Europe's need for imported gas, saving the region more than €100 million every day since 1 March. Over the course of the previous month alone, those savings added up to approximately €3 billion.
Analysts say that if natural gas prices remain elevated because of Iran’s influence over the Strait of Hormuz—a vital passage for fossil fuels that transports roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply—Europe’s expanding solar capacity could deliver savings of as much as €67.5 billion during 2026.
As energy prices continue to soar, households across Europe are increasingly investing in clean technologies including heat pumps, electric vehicles (EVs), and solar power systems. However, for people who cannot afford traditional rooftop installations or lack suitable roof space, plug-in solar systems have become an increasingly attractive option.
These compact solar systems, commonly installed on balconies, terraces, or the roofs of garden sheds, use small photovoltaic panels that can be mounted on an exterior wall. Across many European countries, they are readily available for purchase either in supermarkets or through online retailers.
Electricity generated by plug-in solar systems can be fed directly into a home through a standard mains socket, much like plugging in a mobile phone charger or another household appliance, eliminating the need for expensive installation work.
They have become especially popular among tenants and people living in shared housing, where installing permanent rooftop solar systems is often prohibited.
Specialists estimate that buyers generally recover the cost of a plug-in solar system within two to six years. The exact payback period depends on factors such as the purchase price, the system’s capacity, and where the panels are installed. After that point, the electricity they produce reduces reliance on power from the grid, lowering household energy bills.
Germany embraced the plug-in solar trend well before the outbreak of the US-Israel conflict involving Iran, with more than one million of these systems installed between 2022 and 2025.
A major driver behind this growth has been government support through incentive programs, including feed-in tariffs that pay households a fixed amount for every unit of electricity exported back to the power grid.
“Customers had already started this boom and successfully demanded simplified bureaucracy from politics,” a spokesperson for Meyer Burger, a German manufacturing company, said in 2024.
“Measures such as the elimination of VAT contributed to the popularity of balcony solar.”
Declining prices for both solar panels and battery storage systems have also reduced the upfront investment required. In Germany, the cost of balcony solar panels has dropped by around half over the past several years, with smaller systems now available for approximately €200.
Larger systems that include energy storage, such as a battery, are priced below €1,000, while offering the ability to produce considerably more clean electricity.
Beginning in 2024, tenants and apartment owners in Germany have been permitted to install balcony solar panels on their own, removing the need to pay additional installation charges.
Experts believe plug-in solar technology could eventually supply as much as two per cent of Germany’s electricity demand by 2045, the year in which the country aims to reach climate neutrality.
Despite growing interest, the expansion of plug-in solar has faced several obstacles, with safety concerns among the primary issues slowing wider adoption.
Many homes across Europe have electrical systems that are old, modified, or inadequately maintained, meaning they should be inspected by a qualified professional before residents install plug-in solar equipment.
SolarPower Europe says that determining the precise scale of plug-in solar adoption remains challenging, noting that the “exact numbers are difficult to uncover,” although it adds that the technology is expanding across Europe.
Plug-in solar systems are now permitted in 27 European Union member states, with Sweden and Hungary remaining the only exceptions. Belgium approved self-installed solar panels in April 2025, while Spain has also been taking advantage of its reliably sunny climate, which is highly suitable for generating solar power.
Spanish plug-in solar provider Tornasol Energy reports that it supplied solar kits to more than 1,300 homes during 2025. According to the company, this helped customers save more than €620,000 on electricity bills while preventing the release of more than 14 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Over the five years since the company was established, Tornasol Energy says it has equipped more than 5,000 homes with plug-in solar systems.
The United Kingdom has become the latest European nation to remove restrictions on plug-in solar technology, recently announcing that it is “driving forward” plans to introduce low-cost panels that will soon be sold through discount retailers including Lidl and Iceland.
“The Iran war has once again shown our drive for clean power is essential for our energy security so we can escape the grip of fossil fuel markets we don’t control,” says UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
“Whether through solar panels fitted as standard on new homes or making it possible for people to purchase plug-in solar in shops, we’re determined to roll out clean power so we can give our country energy sovereignty.”
Separate analysis by Carbon Brief concluded that a typical household in the UK could save £1,100—equivalent to roughly €1,261—over the 15-year lifespan of plug-in solar panels.
Originally reported by Euronews.com on Jul 4, 2026.
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