City of Berlin set to make solar PV mandatory for new and renovated buildings

The German capital is a step closer in making solar PV systems mandatory on residential and non-residential buildings in the city, Sandra Enkhardt writes in pv magazine. In a special meeting, the Berlin state senate’s Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises Committee voted for the law, which requires the installation of PV arrays on new buildings as well as part of major roof renovations or conversions on older buildings, and take effect in 2023. The Berlin House of Representatives still has to approve the law. The current draft law calls for the installation of PV systems on buildings with a usable area of ​​more than 50 square meters. The solar arrays must cover at least 30 percent of the roof area. Building owners would also be able to choose a lease model for the installation and operation of PV systems. Costs related to the installation could be allocated to tenants if they are using the generated solar power or if the energy is used for common use and thus reduces overall electricity costs, Enkhardt writes.

According to the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, around 37,000 tons of CO2 could be saved annually within five years by installing PV systems on new and renovated buildings. As part of its overall climate protection measures, the Berlin state government aims to cover 25 percent of the city’s electricity demand with solar energy by 2050 at the latest. The senate adopted the Solarcity Master Plan last year with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.