Tenant electricity: basics

In short: Tenant electricity (Mieterstrom) describes a model where electricity from a rooftop solar system on a multi-family building is supplied directly to the building’s tenants. This way, even tenants without their own roof can benefit from affordable solar power.

In more detail: The electricity doesn’t need to flow through the public grid, saving grid fees and potentially lowering the price for tenants.

In detail

• Supply relationship: The landlord or an energy service provider supplies the on-site generated solar power directly to tenants, who can obtain it in addition to grid electricity.
• Price advantage: Tenant electricity contracts are legally required to be at least 10 percent cheaper than the respective basic utility tariff at the location.
• Voluntary participation: Tenants are generally not obliged to sign a tenant electricity contract and can continue to choose their own electricity provider.
• Supplementing with grid electricity: If the generated solar power isn’t sufficient, for example at night or in winter, additional grid electricity is drawn automatically.
• Subsidy: The tenant electricity surcharge financially supports operators of tenant electricity systems to make the model more economically attractive.
• Contract structure: Tenant electricity contracts are independent of the rental agreement and can be cancelled separately without having to give up the apartment.
• Climate benefit: Tenant electricity opens up the potential of solar energy for multi-family buildings and tenants who would otherwise have no access to their own solar power generation (photovoltaik-grundlagen, balkonkraftwerk).