Name of programme:

SolarPLUS – photovoltaic funding for Berlin’s solar transition

Type of funding:

Partial funding (purchase of an energy storage system, in cases where the applicant is not the owner of a detached or semi-detached house)

Fixed amount award (purchase of an energy storage system, in cases where the applicant is the owner of a detached or semi-detached house)

Aim/purpose of funding:

The aim is for the roofs of residential and non-residential buildings in Berlin to be used for photovoltaic (PV) installations. In particular, the programme aims to increase the use of apartment building roofs for PV tenant electricity projects. Residents and companies should be provided with an additional incentive to construct new photovoltaic installations, besides the positive impacts in terms of climate protection. Financial support in the form of this funding is to be granted independently of any obligation as a result of Berlin’s solar law. The state of Berlin has recognised that, for successful PV expansion, different funding options need to be provided to address the various applications of solar projects.

The funding is awarded to projects that fall into at least one of the following categories. Funding can also cover a combination of more than one category.

Category A Surveys – Studies – Concepts – Advice (A 1 Roof surveys, A 2 Feasibility studies, A 3 Metering and measuring concepts, A 4 Tax advice)

Category B Building electrics (B 1 Measuring stations, B 2 Consolidation of building connections)

Category C Energy storage systems (C 1 Purchase, C 2 Leasing)

Who does it fund?

For Category C Energy storage systems

• Natural and legal persons under private law, as well as business partnerships with legal capacity, who are owners or other designated authorities of owner-occupied or rented buildings, such as

- owners of detached and semi-detached houses,

- owners of apartment buildings,

- property management companies working on behalf of owners’ associations (WEG) of owner-occupied or rented buildings,

- owners of commercial units,

- housing and building associations of rented apartments,

- associations, foundations and church institutions, for example for residential, retirement and nursing homes,

- property companies.

• Energy service companies and energy suppliers that lease roofs for the purpose of constructing a photovoltaic installation (proof that the owner has agreed to this must be submitted).
• Public law entities. Applicants whose assets have had insolvency proceedings or comparable processes applied for or initiated against them are excluded from funding in accordance with these guidelines. Insolvency or comparable proceedings must not have been initiated up to the point of the application approval. The same applies to applicants and – if they are legal persons – to owners of legal persons who have submitted information on assets in accordance with section 802c of the Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO) or section 284 of the Fiscal Code (AO), or who are required to submit this. See section 4 of the guidelines for further state aid conditions. Companies in difficulties within the meaning of article 1 paragraph 4 letter c in conjunction with article 2 no. 18 of the General Block Exemption Regulation (AGVO) are excluded from the funding (see 4 European state aid law).

Funding conditions, amount of funding:

Category C1 Purchase of an energy storage system

• Investment costs for the energy storage system
• Investment costs for the energy management system
• Investment costs for a battery inverter or two-thirds of the investment costs for a hybrid inverter
• Costs for the installation of the storage system, the energy management system and the battery inverter

Owners of detached and semi-detached houses: EUR 300 per kWh to a maximum of EUR 15,000

Owners of apartment buildings, small companies: 65%, medium-sized companies: 55%, large companies: 45% to a maximum of EUR 30,000

Category C2 Leasing of an energy storage system

• Funding per kilowatt hour of the storage system’s capacity

EUR 300 per kWh to a maximum of EUR 15,000

Duration of programme:

Valid for all applications submitted to IBB Business Team GmbH up to 31 December 2023.

Full funding guidelines can be found here (in German).

Further information: IBB Business Team