Market Background: Energy Crisis Sparks Balcony Solar Boom

The sharp rise in electricity prices caused by the European energy shortage in 2022 became the direct driver for residents to embrace balcony solar. Faced with exorbitant electricity bills, a growing number of urban dwellers without rooftop installation conditions turned to their own balconies. Photovoltaic panels paired with balcony brackets, plugged directly into a socket to enable self‑generation and self‑consumption — this “small but beautiful” energy solution quickly won over ordinary consumers.

Germany, a pioneer in balcony solar, saw particularly notable market growth. According to data from the German Consumer Advice Centre, by the end of 2022 nearly 200,000 plug‑in PV systems were in operation in Germany. Consumer enthusiasm for balcony solar was so high that delivery times for a micro solar system could sometimes exceed a year. Several German cities even launched financial subsidy programs, further boosting market expansion.

The balcony solar boom was not limited to Germany; it spread across much of Europe. In Slovakia, consumer organisations initiated procedures to open the way for plug‑in PV panels on balconies. As Miroslav Gejdoš, spokesperson for a Slovak energy company, put it, this is a new trend with enormous growth potential.

Policy Support: Governments Give Green Light to Balcony Solar

In 2022, several European countries and local governments introduced supportive policies, creating a favourable policy environment for the development of balcony solar.

The German federal state of Mecklenburg‑Western Pomerania took the lead, allocating €10 million to support the deployment of solar modules of up to 600W on balconies, terraces and façades. Under the scheme, each household could receive a rebate of up to €500. The government stressed that these small systems do not require approval; they only need to be registered with the energy supplier. According to estimates from the North Rhine‑Westphalia Consumer Association, the initial investment for a balcony solar module is about €350–500, generating roughly €54 worth of electricity per year, with a payback period of six to nine years.

In November 2022, the city of Jena in Thuringia also launched its first funding programme for small PV systems for citizens, subsidising plug‑in PV systems with a maximum power of 600W. The German environmental organisation Deutsche Umwelthilfe even called for further simplification of approval procedures for balcony solar, demanding that micro PV systems be allowed to be installed without a permit.

In France, 2022 saw the Senate approve a landmark law requiring outdoor parking lots to be equipped with solar panels, with a target of 50% PV coverage on rooftops. Under the government’s sustainable renewable energy policy, France will add 6.7GW to 11GW of PV capacity in the coming years. This policy signal opened up a vast market for balcony solar and supporting brackets.

Product Innovation: Balcony‑Specific Brackets Launched Intensively

Faced with rapidly growing demand in the balcony solar market, PV bracket manufacturers actively developed products specifically designed for balcony applications. In 2022, several new balcony PV brackets were introduced, making significant breakthroughs in product design, installation convenience and scenario adaptability.

In August 2022, SunRack launched a new PV bracket designed specifically for balcony scenarios. The bracket is designed for balcony railing posts with a size of 50mm×50mm, with a snow load of 1.10kN/㎡ and a wind load of 30m/s, at an installation angle of 45°. In real‑world projects, the bracket strength and installation angle can be adjusted according to specific snow and wind load conditions. The core advantages of this balcony PV bracket include: utilising limited balcony space to install PV panels, allowing users to install it themselves with simple tools, and offering optional adjustable installation angles.

In December 2022, SunRack also released the SFS‑CP‑04B cement‑block ground carport bracket system. Combining the functions of a sunroom and a carport, this system can be widely used in home gardens and balconies, not only providing a comfortable shaded environment but also converting sunlight into electricity efficiently. The bracket is made of aluminium alloy and stainless steel, can withstand a maximum wind speed of 50m/s and a snow pressure of 1.2KN/㎡, fully taking safety and durability into account.

Company News: Domestic Bracket Manufacturers Accelerate Expansion into European Market

In 2022, Chinese PV bracket manufacturers, keenly aware of the market opportunities for balcony solar in Europe, accelerated their overseas expansion.

In December 2022, Cosolar New Energy appeared at the ENERGAÏA International Energy Exhibition in Montpellier, France, showcasing a full range of new roofing products, multi‑material ground mounts and universal simple bracket solutions. The balcony simple bracket exhibited by Cosolar, made of stainless steel and aluminium alloy, was specifically developed for balcony PV applications, allowing easy installation on balconies or walls with railings using a minimum number of parts. The universal simple bracket is suitable for various scenarios such as balconies, gardens and railings, with a flexible adjustable bracket angle, and is lightweight and aesthetically pleasing — it attracted a great deal of attention and received high praise.

With a rapid market response capability, Cosolar is making a strong foray into the European bracket market, setting up warehousing centres in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and other countries, and continuously improving its local service system. Meanwhile, TBEA’s subsidiary TBEA Yijia launched a residential “sunroom” solution, with the entire bracket structure made of lightweight, high‑strength galvanised magnesium‑aluminium‑zinc square tubes formed by welding, after rigorous calculation and testing that fully consider load‑bearing, wind resistance and seismic factors.

The overall strength of the domestic bracket industry also steadily improved. In 2022, Amplesun (Xiamen) Solar Technology Co., Ltd. was honoured as one of the “Top Ten PV Bracket Enterprises”. Guoxing Xingsheng, with its complete PV bracket industry chain, serves customers in Germany and many other countries.