Balcony Solar: PV Calculator

Thinking about balcony solar? Balcony Solar is a plug-in solar calculator that tells you how much electricity your panels will make, how much money you will save, and when the system pays for itself. It does this before you buy anything.

Most solar panel calculators multiply your panel size by an average sun-hours figure. This app instead simulates every 15 minutes of the year for your exact balcony: where the sun is, how much light reaches the panels at your tilt and direction, and what reaches your socket after real-world losses.

☀️ SUN PATH FOR YOUR BALCONY
• See the sun’s path for any day: sunrise, sunset, solar noon and how high the sun gets
• Check whether the sun is in front of or behind your panels right now
• Uses NOAA sun-position maths with refraction correction

⚡ SOLAR PANEL YIELD IN kWh
• Yearly and monthly output in kWh, plus kWh per kWp
• Losses broken down step by step: glass reflection, shading, dirt, low light, panel temperature, cables and the inverter
• Micro-inverter power limits (for example 800 W) are applied, so time the inverter caps the output is counted
• “Best tilt” tests every angle from flat to vertical and shows the most productive one for your location

📐 SOLAR PANEL ANGLE AND DIRECTION
• Measure tilt by laying your phone on the panel
• Find the direction with the phone’s compass, corrected to true north
• Presets for railing (vertical), stand, roof and flat mounting

💶 SOLAR PAYBACK AND SAVINGS
• Payback time in years and months, with an estimated break-even date
• Savings over 20 years including electricity price rises and panel ageing
• Return on investment, cost per kWh of your own solar power, and CO₂ avoided
• Optional feed-in tariff and discount rate for net present value

🏠 SELF-CONSUMPTION AND BATTERY
• Compares your panels’ output with the hour-by-hour power use of a typical household
• Choose a profile: typical household, out at work, home office, or at home all day
• Add a battery to see how much solar energy moves into the evening

🌍 59 COUNTRIES, 169 CITIES, WORKS OFFLINE
• Built-in sunshine, temperature, electricity tariff and grid CO₂ data
• Local currency and typical plug-in limits
• Germany (Balkonkraftwerk), Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, the UK, Poland, the USA, Canada, Australia, Pakistan, India, the UAE and many more
• Use your location or exact coordinates, and refine with free PVGIS satellite data from the EU

💾 SAVE, COMPARE AND SHARE
• Save several setups to compare balconies, panels, angles or prices
• Share a clear text report with your family or landlord

Who it’s for: renters and flat owners comparing balcony solar kits, anyone deciding on a mini solar or plug-in solar system, and DIY solar fans who want accurate numbers.

Results are estimates based on long-term average weather; real output varies from year to year. Rules for plug-in solar differ by country and grid operator, so check them and use certified equipment before connecting anything.

No account needed. Your setups stay on your phone.