Solar installation - North Rhine-Westphalia
Legal basis
- EEG 2023 - feed-in tariff and funding (federal level)
- Solarspitzengesetz - requirement for a smart meter and control unit for new installations from 7 kWp (since 25.02.2025); without a control unit, the grid operator permanently limits feed-in to 60 % of installed capacity
- § 42a BauO NRW (supplemented by the Solaranlagenverordnung NRW, SAN-VO NRW) - solar requirement for new buildings (since 01.01.2025) and roof renovations (since 01.01.2026)
RECOMMENDED PROVIDERS
Solar requirement NRW
| Feature | Rule |
|---|---|
| New buildings | Required since 01.01.2025 |
| Roof renovations (complete replacement of the roof covering) | Required since 01.01.2026 - already applies now |
| Minimum capacity for new buildings | ≥30 % of roof area |
| Minimum capacity for existing buildings undergoing renovation (up to 10 W residential units) | alternatively a flat 3–8 kWp |
| Legal basis | § 42a BauO NRW, supplemented by SAN-VO NRW |
| Exemptions | Heritage protection, unsuitable roof area (e.g. north-facing orientation, shading), unreasonable economic burden; rented PV installations or equivalent solar thermal systems also meet the requirement |
| Fines | Detached and semi-detached houses up to 5.000 €, multi-family houses up to 25.000 €, non-residential buildings up to 50.000 € |
Important: The fine amount is staggered by building type - the 50.000 € apply only to non-residential buildings, not as a flat rate to detached and semi-detached houses.
Official obligations
| Step | Requirement | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Register with the grid operator | all installations |
| 2 | Register in MaStR | all installations |
| 3 | Smart meter + control unit | mandatory installation from 7 kWp; voluntary at 2–7 kWp, otherwise 60 % feed-in limitation |
| 4 | Tax office | from >30 kWp |
Planning permission: not required for roof-mounted installations. Exceptions: heritage protection, ground-mounted installations.
Grid operators
| Region | Grid operator |
|---|---|
| Ruhr area / Westphalia | Westnetz (E.ON Group) |
| Cologne / Bonn | RheinEnergie Stromnetz |
| Dortmund | DEW21 |
| Düsseldorf | Netz Düsseldorf |
| Aachen | STAWAG Netz |
| Münster | Stadtwerke Münster |
Find your grid operator: postcode search at solar.red/netzbetreiber
Processing time: 4–8 W weeks | Statutory deadline up to 30 kWp: 4 W weeks (EEG 2024)
NRW funding
progres.nrw - climate protection technology
For private PV installations on detached houses, there is no funding through progres.nrw. The programme focuses on multi-family houses: it funds up to 45 % of costs (maximum 20.000 €) for electrical system modernisation, which is a prerequisite for installing PV in a multi-family house. According to the current funding guideline of 20.05.2025, the programme runs until 30.06.2027.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Target group | Multi-family houses, housing sector |
| Eligible | Electrical system modernisation as a prerequisite for PV, shared installations |
| Detached houses | Not eligible |
| Application | progres.nrw.de |
Municipal grants (selection, detached houses) - as at 07/2026
Important update: Most of the programmes listed below are currently paused, stopped or restricted. Check the current status directly with the city before any planning.
| City | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Cologne | Active | "Photovoltaik - klimafreundliches Wohnen in Köln", revived since June 2025, budget 8 million €, up to 2.500 € for PV installations and 1.300 € for storage systems |
| Düsseldorf | Paused | "Klimafreundliches Wohnen und Arbeiten" suspended since mid-January 2026 - funding pots exhausted early due to high demand; provisional budget management makes it difficult to release new funds |
| Aachen | Restricted | Only multi-family houses and commercial premises remain eligible. Detached houses and balcony PV systems are excluded from funding |
| Essen | Stopped | Solar funding programme discontinued in July 2025 due to the budget situation |
Other cities: enquire directly with the municipal utilities or city office. Available nationwide regardless of municipal status: 0 % VAT up to 30 kWp, EEG feed-in tariff and KfW 270.
EEG feed-in tariff (Q2/Q3 2026)
| Installation size | Partial feed-in | Full feed-in |
|---|---|---|
| up to 10 kWp | 7,78 ct/kWh | 12,34 ct/kWh |
| 10–40 kWp | 6,73 ct/kWh | 10,35 ct/kWh |
| 40–100 kWp | 5,50 ct/kWh | 10,35 ct/kWh |
Valid: 01.02.2026 - 31.07.2026 | From 01.08.2026, reduction of 1 % (six-monthly reduction under § 49 EEG 2023). Installations already commissioned retain their tariff for 20 Jahre.
Installation steps in NRW
- Check the roof - solar requirement since 01.01.2025 (new buildings) / 01.01.2026 (full renovations, already applies now)
- Check municipal grant - confirm status directly with the city in advance; many programmes are currently paused or stopped
- Commission a certified specialist contractor
- Register with the grid operator - allow 4–8 W weeks
- Register in MaStR, have a smart meter installed
- Commissioning + acceptance report
Grid operator note: The table above shows common grid operators - it is not exhaustive. The grid operator actually responsible depends solely on the postcode . Find it using the postcode search: solar.red/netzbetreiber
How to submit applications
1. Feed-in application to the grid operator
- Find the grid operator: postcode search at solar.red/netzbetreiber
- Online portal of the grid operator (legally required since Jan. 2025)
- Complete the form: location, planned kWp capacity, feed-in type
- Wait for approval - 4 W-week deadline (up to 30 kWp); automatically approved if there is no response after 1 month
- Tip: The installer often handles the registration - ask when requesting a quote
2. MaStR registration (Marktstammdatenregister)
- Portal: marktstammdatenregister.de
- Deadline: within 1 month after commissioning
- Required: system capacity (kWp), installation date, site postcode
- Tip: Many installers also take care of the MaStR - clarify this in the quote
3. Municipal funding NRW (varies by city, check status beforehand)
| City | Where to apply | Status July 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Cologne | stadtwerke-koeln.de | Active, apply before installation |
| Düsseldorf | duesseldorf.de → Klimafreundliches Wohnen | Paused since January 2026 |
| Aachen | aachen.de → Klimaschutzförderung | Multi-family houses/commercial premises only |
| Essen | stadtwerke-essen.de | Stopped since July 2025 |
4. KfW 270 (federal level)
- Through the applicant's bank apply
- Portal: kfw.de/270
- Submit the application before placing the order