Balcony Solar in France

Last verified: 2026-05-04 · Sources: Enedis, EDF OA, CRE, AFNOR (NF C 15-100), Code de l'énergie L. 315

The 2024 plug-and-play regime

France formally recognised “kit solaire prêt à brancher” (plug-and-play solar kit) as a regulatory category in early 2024 after a multi-year ambiguity in which Enedis treated balcony kits as either undeclared installations (technically illegal but unenforced) or full residential PV requiring a CRAE convention (disproportionate paperwork for a 300 W kit). The change aligned French rules with the 800 W EU de-facto standard already established by Germany, Austria, Italy and the Netherlands.

The simplified regime applies when AC inverter output is ≤ 800 W continuous, the kit is connected to a single domestic socket, the inverter is NF EN 50549-1 compliant with anti-islanding, and the installation has no DC battery. Above any of these limits you fall back to a regular CACSI convention with Enedis — not catastrophic, but adds a 4-6 week processing time and an inspection step.

CACSI: the one form you have to file

CACSI stands for “Convention d'Autoconsommation Sans Injection” — autoconsumption convention without injection. Despite the name, it does not actually prohibit injection; it declares to Enedis that the household intends to self-consume the generated electricity and waives the right to be paid for any surplus. For a balcony kit with no battery, this is the right form: you keep things simple, accept that 25-30% of generation pushed back to the grid earns nothing, and avoid the EDF OA paperwork.

Filing is online via the Enedis customer portal, takes 10 minutes, costs nothing, and is processed within 2-3 weeks. You receive a CACSI number that needs to be retained for the standard French electrical inspection (every 10 years for residential properties, or at sale). Without a filed CACSI, the kit is technically operating illegally — though enforcement is rare, your home insurance can deny a claim if a fire traces back to an undeclared PV installation.

If you instead want to be paid for surplus, file a CRAE (Convention de Raccordement, d'Accès et d'Exploitation) and a contract with EDF Obligation d'Achat. The CRAE replaces the CACSI; the EDF OA contract pays a fixed €/kWh on surplus injected, locked for 20 years. For a typical 800 W kit producing ~700 kWh/year and self-consuming 70%, the surplus is ~210 kWh/year, paid at ~0.04 €/kWh — about €8/year. Whether the additional CRAE paperwork is worth €8 is a personal call; most balcony owners stick with CACSI.

North versus south — a wide irradiance gap

France has the widest internal irradiance gradient of any country we cover. Marseille sees roughly 1500 kWh/kWp/year at optimal tilt (south-facing 35°); Lille sees about 1000. For a vertical balcony mount, the gap narrows in absolute terms but widens in relative terms: south-facing balconies in the Mediterranean basin produce almost twice the kWh of north-facing balconies in Picardy or Hauts-de-France.

The per-city table in the live-data panel above shows the actual PVGIS-derived numbers for eight French metro areas. Use the north-of-Loire vs south-of-Loire split as a rough guide: north of the Loire, plan for 700-850 kWh/year out of an 800 W south-facing vertical kit. South of the Loire, 850-1050 kWh/year. East-facing or west-facing balconies knock another 15-25% off these numbers.

Incentives — and why most don't apply

France runs three main residential PV incentives: the Prime à l'autoconsommation (autoconsumption premium), the EDF OA surplus tariff, and reduced VAT for professional-installed systems. All three are designed around installer-installed rooftop PV at 3+ kWp, not plug-in balcony kits.

• Prime à l'autoconsommation: a one-time premium paid in five annual installments, currently around €80-300 per kWp depending on installed capacity bracket. Requires installation by a RGE QualiPV-certified installer; plug-in kits sold direct to consumers are not eligible.
• EDF OA surplus tariff: available to balcony kits via the CRAE route, but at ~0.04 €/kWh and ~210 kWh/year of surplus, the headline annual payment is small (€8-10) and the paperwork overhead substantial.
• Reduced VAT: 10% applies to residential PV installed by a professional contractor on a building > 2 years old. A DIY plug-in kit purchased online attracts the standard 20% rate. The 5.5% rate sometimes claimed online is for thermal renovation works, not PV.

The reform of incentive rules to include plug-in kits has been on the legislative wish-list of multiple French solar trade associations (Enerplan, GMPV-FFB) since 2022, but no draft has progressed to the Journal Officiel as of this writing.

Renters and copropriétés

France has no equivalent of Germany's BGB §554 tenant right. Article 7 of the loi du 6 juillet 1989 governs tenant modifications and requires landlord written consent for any installation that alters the rental. Non-invasive railing-clamp mounts on a balcony are typically permissible without consent under the “jouissance paisible” doctrine (peaceful enjoyment), but drilling, hanging from facade elements, or installing on the building exterior requires explicit written agreement.

For owner-occupiers in a copropriété (governed by the loi du 10 juillet 1965), modifications to elements visible from common spaces require a Conseil Syndical (or General Assembly) vote, by simple majority for non-structural changes. The Loi Climat et Résilience of August 2021 introduced softer rules for solar installations specifically — refusal must now be justified on objective technical or aesthetic grounds, not blanket aesthetic preference. Practical effect: Conseil Syndicaux that previously rejected balcony PV without discussion now have to provide a reasoned refusal letter, which has nudged many to approve.

Economics — what does it actually save?

French residential electricity has a unique structure: the regulated tariff (Tarif Bleu, sold by EDF) coexists with market offers. Households on Tarif Bleu pay a single regulated rate set quarterly by CRE; market offers can be cheaper or more expensive depending on the supplier. The Eurostat number above blends both, which is appropriate for a country average.

For an 800 W south-facing balcony kit producing ~800 kWh/year in the centre-south of France, at 70% self-consumption against a 21-23 c/kWh residential tariff, first-year savings are roughly €120-140. Payback for a €250-300 kit lands in the 2.5-3.5 year range — among the fastest in our six-country set, despite France having a noticeably lower retail tariff than Germany or the Netherlands. The reason is simply higher irradiance: more kWh out of the same hardware.

FAQ

Do I need to declare my balcony kit to Enedis?

Yes. The CACSI declaration is mandatory before commissioning under the 2024 plug-and-play regime. Filing is free, online, takes 10 minutes, and processed within 2-3 weeks. Skipping it leaves your home insurance exposed if a fire or shock incident traces back to the kit.

Can I sell surplus to EDF?

Yes via the CRAE + EDF OA route, but the payment is small. At ~0.04 €/kWh on ~210 kWh/year of surplus from a typical 800 W kit, expect €8-10/year. The administrative overhead (CRAE paperwork plus a dedicated production meter that some DSOs require) usually exceeds the payment for plug-in kits. Most balcony owners file CACSI and accept the surplus is wasted.

Why doesn't the prime à l'autoconsommation apply?

The premium was structured around installer-installed PV: it requires a RGE QualiPV certification on the installer and a minimum installed capacity above what plug-in kits reach. Trade associations have been lobbying for an extension to plug-in kits since 2022 with no legislative result. Watch the Code de l'énergie L.314-1 and the next CRE delibération for changes.

Is 800 W enough for a balcony in Paris?

A south-facing 800 W vertical kit in Paris produces ~700 kWh/year, which covers roughly 25-30% of a typical 1-2 person flat's annual consumption. That is enough to take a meaningful bite out of the summer half-year electricity bill but not enough to come close to self-sufficiency. For higher coverage you'd need rooftop PV (or a south-of-the-Loire balcony, where the same kit produces ~1000 kWh/year).

Schuko or Wieland?

NF C 15-100 permits the standard French type E socket for 800 W plug-in kits. Wieland is sometimes recommended by inspectors but is not legally required. The 800 W cap keeps the inverter current well under the 16 A type-E rating; the kit stays compliant on a properly earthed dedicated outlet.

Sources and further reading

• Enedis — main French DSO (CACSI / CRAE conventions)
• EDF Obligation d'Achat — surplus tariff and contract terms
• CRE — Commission de Régulation de l'Énergie (Tarif Bleu)
• AFNOR — NF C 15-100 wiring standard, NF EN 50549-1
• Légifrance — Code de l'énergie L.315 (autoconsommation)
• France Rénov' — official renovation incentive portal

This guide aggregates publicly available regulatory information for residents of France. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice. For binding interpretations contact Enedis (or your local DSO), France Rénov', or a qualified expert-comptable.