Electricity Neighbours: Reform options for accelerating the roll-out of photovoltaic systems on multi-family buildings in Berlin

The state of Berlin and the federal government have set themselves ambitious goals for the expansion of photovoltaics (PV) by 2030. These goals can only be achieved if all market segments quickly start to grow and keep on growing, including the segment of PV plants on multi-story buildings. The present study examines current proposals for the further development of this segment and analyes the solutions used in Spain, the Netherlands and Austria. It shows that the two central goals – accelerating the PV expansion and involving residents – are in tension with each other, at least in the short term.

Based on the analysis, the following sequence of measures is proposed: First, as an immediate intervention, PV plants that feed all of their electricity generation into the grid should be made economically viable again. Then it is a matter of developing and regularly adapting a new model of on-site supply as well as initiating a dialogue about a potential future model that would treat PV as an integral element of building services – similar to the treatment of central heating plants today.