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Solar obligation from 2025: NRW is relying heavily on green energy for new buildings!
From 2025, new residential buildings in North Rhine-Westphalia will have to install solar systems. Find out the details about the solar obligation and its economic aspects.
Solar obligation from 2025: NRW is relying heavily on green energy for new buildings!
From January 1, 2025, new residential buildings in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) must be equipped with solar systems. This is part of a new regulation that the state government sees as an important step in promoting renewable energy. Newly built residential buildings must cover at least 30 percent of their roof area with photovoltaic modules Ruhr24 reported.
Between 2020 and 2023, an average of 15,600 new residential buildings were completed annually in North Rhine-Westphalia. The government expects the newly installed solar systems to generate additional output of 130 to 270 megawatts per year. A typical solar system on a single-family home has a capacity of around 10 kilowatts. Existing buildings must also be taken into account: the solar obligation also applies to roofs that are replaced from 2026 onwards. However, this only applies to suitable areas that do not have windows or heavy shading.
Expected developments in solar use
By the beginning of November 2023, photovoltaic systems with a total output of over 11,500 megawatts had been installed in North Rhine-Westphalia. In addition, a further 2,200 megawatts could be added by the end of 2024. The state government plans to achieve a capacity of at least 21,000 megawatts by 2030, with the possibility of expansion to up to 27,000 megawatts under optimal conditions. In addition, the use of open spaces for solar systems should be intensified.
The economic perspective of photovoltaic systems shows that they usually pay for themselves within 15 to 20 years. However, high installation costs, low yields due to shading or unfavorable roof orientation as well as falling electricity prices can extend the payback period. Your own energy needs also play a role: higher electricity consumption leads to more advantages through your own use of the solar system, such as Home ownership NRW notes. Despite these challenges, PV systems are often considered a worthwhile investment, especially since prices are relatively low and feed-in tariffs for excess electricity have been improved in 2023.