One Page Summary

People want solar power

A regular opinion poll suggests, that more than two thirds of Germans want to generate their own power. In addition, they perceive solar power as the most popular energy generating technology (see graphic below). The actual share of generating technologies is the opposite of what people ask for with a only 6% solar power.

Source: Infografik "Akzeptanz von Kraftwerken in der Nachbarschaft": Strom-Report

People are excluded from access to solar power

It seems that people like solar power but still do not consider the technology for their daily life choices strong enough. Until now, energy supply (and the Energiewende) was organized top down and solar power required to have access to property and land. More than 50% of Germans rent their homes. But people who rent apartments are practically not able to participate in the Energiewende except for paying taxes on their electricity bills.

Tragedy of the commons

Currently there are efforts to increase solar power installations on roofs of apartment buildings (“Mieterstrom”). That brings people who ask for solar power one step closer to access. Still, using the roof of a building with multiple owners is a social challenge by its own. Agreements to install and share solar power from those roofs requires numerous parties to sign contracts. That is time consuming, bureaucratic and cost intense.

Our solution: Solar power for people living in city apartments

• Can be used by people who rent apartments because they are mobile and can be moved to another location. Investments into such solar equipment is not stranded.
• Prices are a small fraction of investments into “conventional” solar power for homes. In environmental sociology it is a known fact that low cost alternatives are more likely to be chosen.
• Prospects do not rely on feed in tariffs or other incentives to finance plug and play solar power systems
• The decision and implementation process is very quick. The household itself can decide for or against such a solution. A mutual agreement with other parties in the building can be avoided.
• People who first had contact with solar power are more likely to agree on larger project proposals they have to decide on. E.g. it is more likely that a community agrees on a large project if decision makers have made good experience on a smaller scale.
• Energy generation becomes visible. People relate better to weather forecasts, demand side management and seasonal availability of solar power after having their own experiences. This helps people to adapt to a future with only renewable energy. Neighbors are impressed by being one of the first to see such devices around.