Greece approves new balcony solar panel rules to boost self‑consumption

The Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy has issued a revised ministerial decision that permits the installation of small photovoltaic (PV) systems of up to 800 W on residential balconies. The measure also authorises autonomous storage units dedicated to self‑consumption and aims to simplify connection procedures, expand participation of households, businesses, farms and local energy communities, and lower electricity bills.

According to energy inspector Vasilios Argyrópopoulos, a single balcony‑mounted PV unit can generate about 1–1.5 kWh per day, yielding an annual savings of €300‑€400 for the owner and, if widely adopted, could produce a noticeable drop in national electricity prices. The industry body representing electricity producers (POSPEF) warns that excess solar generation already leads to very low or negative market prices and cites safety concerns such as short‑circuit risks.

Since 2020, Greece has installed 37,407 self‑consumption systems amounting to 1.07 GW, a sharp increase from the 1,772 systems (36 MW) installed between 2015‑2019, underscoring rapid growth in the renewable‑energy market.