You can buy or rent solar systems, the latter in some cases for 50-150 € per month. However, this adds up to a considerable sum over the long term of often 20 years. If possible, you should therefore buy a system to benefit more economically.

Take advantage of the opportunity for federal subsidies for efficient buildings (BEG subsidy) or a KfW loan, or apply for subsidies for battery storage and solar systems.

Even if you are theoretically allowed to install the solar panels yourself in Germany, you should use a professional installation for the purpose of the guarantees. Have a passport issued for the system and storage tank. The passports document that they were planned and installed according to the latest state of the art and that they function perfectly.

During the planning phase, consider that a larger system tends to be cheaper to purchase (quantity discount, so to speak). Therefore, use the potential of your roof area as much as possible.

Think about integrating your solar power system at least in your homeowners insurance in order to protect it from hazards such as storms, hail, lightning and fire. For larger systems and loans, a photovoltaic insurance policy can also be advantageous.

Solar power systems are covered by a legal warranty period of two or five years in Germany, depending on the installation scenario. It is therefore recommended to check your system for quality defects before the 2-year period expires. Companies often give a 10 - 20 year guarantee on the equipment. Therefore, make sure that the company is based in Germany in order to claim under warranty.

Many federal states and municipalities in Germany offer a so-called solar cadastre for their area of responsibility, with which you can quickly find out whether your roof area is basically suitable. In the next step, you need an individual offer from a specialist company that has checked the initial situation on site.

In Germany the compensation for electricity fed into the grid is determined by the Federal Network Agency. Nevertheless, it is most economical to consume as much of the solar power as possible yourself. To make maximum use of the potential of your system, energy-intensive activities such as washing or charging an electric car should take place during the day and a PV system variant with energy storage should also be calculated. In addition, a heat pump can optimise self-consumption and bring additional autonomy.