Plug-in solar in Cologne: what each balcony direction gives in 2026
Even on an east-facing balcony, a 900 Wp plug-in device in Cologne produces about 472 kWh a year and saves a single-person household €92.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
Saving per year
€154
674 kWh of solar power, 63 % of it used at home
| Generation per year | 674 kWh |
|---|---|
| of which used at home | 427 kWh · 63 % |
| into the grid, unpaid | 248 kWh |
| clipped by the inverter (800 VA) | 1 kWh |
| Saving on the electricity bill | €154 |
| Payback | 2.9 years |
| Saving over 20 years | €3,089 |
Step-by-step calculation
- Postcode 50667 (area of Köln): 1,038 kWh per kWp at 35° south according to PVGIS for the centre of the postcode.
- Tilt 90° and the chosen direction: 751 kWh per kWp. Times 0.90 kWp: 676 kWh before the inverter.
- Quarter-hour by quarter-hour against 74 metered households using 2,500 kWh a year: the household uses 63 % of the output itself.
- 427 kWh × 36.2 ct = €154 a year; €450 purchase price ÷ saving = payback.
Estimate based on average weather 2005 to 2023 (PVGIS) and metered household loads. A single year can differ by a few per cent. How we calculate
Cologne sits mid-table for solar yield: PVGIS gives 1,038 kWh per kilowatt peak at 35 degrees south for postcode 50667 in the old town, rank 9 of 15 big cities. The spread over the year stands out: November to February bring 15.8 % of the yield, rank 5 in the comparison, which fits the mild climate of the Cologne Lowland. The roofs stand out even more. Only 28 % of the city's building-mounted systems in the Market Master Data Register face mainly south, the lowest share of any city compared; 22 % face south-west. Balconies follow the same logic: facing east, 900 Wp hung upright (Balkonkraftwerk) harvest 472 kWh, facing south it would be 674 kWh. A single person using 1,500 kWh saves €92 a year on an east balcony at 36.2 cents per kWh. Cologne has 7,774 plug-in devices registered, 7.6 per 1,000 residents.
Cologne's solar balance at a glance
The city lies in the Cologne Lowland (Kölner Bucht), a low basin on the Rhine that opens northwards between the Eifel and the Bergisches Land hills. The PVGIS point for the old town is at 46 metres. The climate is mild, frost days are comparatively rare, and in winter Cologne ranks higher for solar yield than over the year as a whole.
| Indicator | Cologne | Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Yield per kWp, 35° south | 1,038 kWh (rank 9) | |
| Share November to February | 15.8 % (rank 5) | |
| Building systems facing mainly south | 27.7 % | 45.1 % |
| facing south-west | 21.6 % | 18.4 % |
| East-west systems | 15.8 % | 8.5 % |
| Plug-in devices per 1,000 residents | 7.6 | 18.3 |
Cologne does not build facing south
In the Market Master Data Register, Cologne has the smallest share of roof systems facing mainly south of all big cities compared (rank 1 from the bottom). 72 % of its 16,777 building-mounted systems look elsewhere, most often south-west. Perimeter blocks, terraced houses and streets running every which way probably play a part; the register cannot prove it. What is certain is that owners install anyway.
For tenants with a balcony that is good news. If you live on the courtyard side facing east or west, you are in good company in Cologne, and the yield is enough for a decent saving.
Five balcony positions compared
| Balcony, upright | Yield | Used at home | Saving/year |
|---|---|---|---|
| East | 472 kWh | 254 kWh | €92 |
| South-east | 633 kWh | 305 kWh | €111 |
| South | 674 kWh | 330 kWh | €119 |
| South-west | 610 kWh | 308 kWh | €112 |
| West | 452 kWh | 260 kWh | €94 |
With low consumption the positions sit closer together than the yields suggest. A single person uses little at midday, so a large part of south-facing power ends up in the grid unpaid. East and west balconies, by contrast, hit the hours when someone is home. The angles are explained in detail in the orientation guide.
How Cologne's yield spreads over the year
| Season | Share of annual yield | East balcony, 900 Wp |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (March to May) | 32.5 % | 154 kWh |
| Summer (June to August) | 35.3 % | 167 kWh |
| Autumn (September to November) | 20.4 % | 96 kWh |
| Winter (December to February) | 11.8 % | 56 kWh |
Spring and summer carry most of it. Autumn delivers 37 % less than spring; winter remains the weakest stretch, even if it gives more here than on the coast.
A single person in Ehrenfeld
A period flat on the second floor, balcony facing east over the courtyard, 1,500 kWh a year. The €450 device hangs upright on the railing. It produces 472 kWh, of which the tenant uses 254 kWh herself. After 4.9 years the purchase price has been earned back. She is entitled to her landlord's permission under section 554 Civil Code. If the old spinning-disc meter is still in place, the device may run on it until the meter is replaced under section 10a EEG; the metering operator handles the swap.