Solarpanel an einem Mehrfamilienhaus in Düsseldorf
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2024-05-07 press release

Product standard for balcony power plants: VDE publishes second draft

The new draft that has now been published allows for renewed comments. A consensus has been reached on the connection rules for balcony power plants. The power limit is now 800 VA. In addition, protective measures are provided for connection with a conventional household plug.

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(Frankfurt a. M., 07.05.2024) The VDE has now published a second draft of the world's first product standard for balcony power plants. All interested parties and private individuals now have another opportunity to actively help shape the product standard and submit their comments within the next two months. 

The second draft provides for the maximum feed-in power to be increased from 600 VA to 800 VA. The responsible standardization committee also agreed on several protective measures to enable mini-PV-systems to be connected to a conventional household plug. To this end, basic protection and electrical safety must be guaranteed either mechanically or electromechanically. On the one hand, the plug head can have a mechanical separation to ensure that people cannot touch an active conductor. On the other hand, basic protection can also be realized via galvanic isolation in the inverter. The inverter must meet additional requirements for this.

Harmonizing safety and protection as well as consumer interests

"Public interest is enormous. The topic of the permissible plug connection and the power limit is being discussed particularly intensively. Of course, we want to make things easy for users, but the technical expertise of electrical safety experts must also be taken seriously," says Alexander Nollau, Head of the Energy Department at DKE, the standardization organization of the VDE.

Everyone involved agrees on the great importance of basic protection, contact protection and electrical safety for balcony power plants. The first draft of the product standard was publicly discussed in December 2023. The standardization committee had to review and evaluate over 750 comments. As no final consensus could be reached on the key issues – increasing the maximum power limit and the simplified grid connection – the second draft, which has now been published, was necessary.

The new draft can be commented in the DKE draft standards portal at VDE Verlag. The objection period ends on 03.07.2024.

About DKE 

The DKE German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (DKE) is the national platform for about 10,000 experts from industry, science and public administration to elaborate standards and safety specifications for electrical engineering, electronics and information technology. Standards support global trade and, among other things, the safety, interoperability and functionality of products and systems. As a competence centre for electrotechnical standardization, the DKE represents the interests of German industry in European (CENELEC, ETSI) and international standardization organizations (IEC). In addition, the DKE provides comprehensive services in the field of standardization and VDE specifications.

For more information, visit www.dke.de

About VDE

VDE, one of the largest technology organizations in Europe, has been regarded as a synonym for innovation and technological progress for more than 130 years. VDE is the only organization in the world that combines science, standardization, testing, certification, and application consulting under one umbrella. The VDE mark has been synonymous with the highest safety standards and consumer protection for more than 100 years. 

Our passion is the advancement of technology, the next generation of engineers and technologists, and lifelong learning and career development “on the job”. Within the VDE network more than 2,000 employees at over 60 locations worldwide, more than 100,000 honorary experts, and around 1,500 companies are dedicated to ensuring a future worth living: networked, digital, electrical.  
Shaping the e-dialistic future. 

The VDE (VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies) is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. For more information, visit www.vde.com