Balcony solar

People who live in apartments or rented homes in the UK could soon plug in their own ‘balcony solar panels’, under plans announced by the government.

The DIY panels have already been fitted to about 1.5m balconies in Germany, where they are known as Balkonkraftwerk (balcony power plant). They typically save households about 30 per cent on their energy bills and cost between €400-800 (AU$700-1435), with no installation fees required, meaning they pay for themselves within six years. Image: Tornasol Energy