Your Balcony Network – Energy creates community
How can a sustainable energy transition be achieved in practical terms? We investigated this question in the form of real-world experiments as part of the project "Dein BalkonNetz – Energie schafft Gemeinschaft" (Your Balcony Network – Energy Creates Community). 22 households in and around Karlsruhe were each equipped with a balcony solar system. This enabled participants to try out solar energy for themselves and actively contribute to the energy transition.
The real-world experiment
The transformation of the energy system sometimes seems technically abstract, costly, and complicated in terms of regulatory requirements. In addition, different groups of people and institutions need to be taken into account in the energy and solar context: from individual households and relationships with landlords to grid operators and public authorities. Technical challenges during installation and financial aspects also need to be considered.
In addition to the technical aspects, equal opportunities and community building played an important role in our real-world experiment. "Dein BalkonNetz" focused in particular on people who had previously been underrepresented in the energy transition: women and people who live in rented accommodation.
"We wanted to test balcony modules under real-life conditions as a form of sustainable energy production. We also investigated the impact on the everyday lives and environment of the participants." Helena Trenks, Research Assistant
We accompanied the participating households over a longer period of time and invited them to exchange ideas with other participants. The experiments focused less on technical aspects and more on the connection with ecological and social aspects such as social cohesion, community building, and nature-oriented urban greening. Our primary goal was to find out what impact the use of a balcony solar system has on the everyday lives of the participants and on community life.
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With regard to participation, we also examined how the experimental setting could be made more inclusive. In addition, we looked at electricity generation and the experiences of participants in installing and operating their systems.
Your solar module on the balcony or terrace
Balcony solar systems, often referred to as balcony power plants, are small, compact PV systems that are significantly cheaper to purchase than the large-scale modules we are familiar with on house roofs. Balcony solar systems are relatively easy to install because they can be connected directly to the electrical circuit of your own home using a standard household plug via an outdoor outlet.
More videos, podcast episodes, and other publications are available on the project page for "Energy Transformation in Dialogue."
Further information
- The real-world experiment "Your Balcony Network – Energy Creates Community" was carried out as part of the project "Energy Transformation in Dialogue."
- Duration: 2020-2024
- Participants: Research project "Seeds for SEETS – New Approaches for a Social-Ecological Energy Transition"
