Soon the EU may require solar cells on all newly built houses

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The requirement is part of the comprehensive EPBD directive which is part of the EU’s Green Deal, and which has recently been adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. The directive affects several areas linked to the energy use of buildings and, through various requirements and strictures, is to reduce emissions from the EU’s property sector.

Much of it takes hold on large public properties, but there is a part that may also be of great importance to private individuals: new buildings must, as a rule, be equipped with solar energy installations in the future.

In a first step it applies to public buildings above a certain size. But from the end of December 2029, the requirement applies to all new residential buildings.

– So it is both multi-apartment buildings and single-family houses, explains Tobias Walla, ministerial secretary at the Ministry of Climate and Business, who is working on the introduction of the directive.

The expert’s advice: Check with the municipality if a building permit is required before you get solar cells. Photo: Sofia Nahringbauer

However, there is a caveat. The requirement only applies if it is “technically suitable and economically and functionally feasible”, the directive states. How much of a loophole or disclaimer that wording becomes remains to be seen. The directive has just been adopted and will not be introduced into Swedish law until spring 2026.

– It will be necessary analyzed what it means, says Tobias Walla and continues:

– Each country also has the opportunity to introduce national criteria for the implementation of these requirements. There you can point out exceptions for different types of buildings and that is also something we need to analyze as we haven’t landed on how it can be used yet.

Among other things, a country can point to the importance of technology neutrality and that requirements that lead to a lot of solar energy in the system risk having an impact on other types of power, or claim that solar energy, which is difficult to regulate, negatively affects the stability of the electricity grid.

New EU rules for solar cells underway. Photo: Anette Nantell

– We will have to look at how this affects Sweden in particular and how we want to use the exceptions.

But you won’t be able to come up with an exception that says that single-family houses are exempt?

– I can’t really say that now before we have done the analysis, but it is likely that the Commission will review how these exemptions are used. They need to be motivated based on what is in the directive, says Tobias Walla.

This could be a boost for the solar cell industry, where installations are currently on a downward trend. The electricity price shock in 2022 made many people invest in the sun, which resulted in a record number of installed solar energy plants in 2023, a total of 103,939. The forecast for 2024 is for that figure to drop to 65,000 installed plants, which is, however, more than in 2022.

– There should be an upswing. After all, you never know which companies will get the jobs, whether they will be Swedish or foreign, says Anna Werner, CEO of the industry organization Swedish Solar Energy.

Anna Werner, CEO of the industry organization Swedish Solar Energy. Photo: Swedish solar energy

However, she is not entirely positive about the requirement.

– We think it is positive that the EU invests in and sees the great potential in solar energy, because it feels like the Swedish government has not understood it in the same way as the EU does. But we are a little hesitant to force everyone to mount solar cells on the roof, she says.

According to her, a better way would have been for the requirement to only apply to preparation for solar energy systems on newly built houses, so that it facilitates future installation of solar systems.

– We want you to have sun because you have realized that it is very good, not because you have to, says Anna Werner.

The expert’s advice on solar cells

If you are planning to get solar cells, it may be good to think about a couple of things. Here are five tips from Malte Rungard, expert at the National Association of Villa Owners:

1. Look over the roof. Many people put solar cells on older roofs without replacing the roof first. Should it start to leak, you will have to dismantle the solar cells before you can repair the roof. To avoid that problem, you should make sure that the lifespan of the roof is at least as long as the lifespan of the solar cells to be installed.

2. Always check with the municipality. Generally, a building permit is not required for solar cells, but there are exceptions. For example, if you have a flat roof and the solar cells stick up from it, you may be subject to a building permit, likewise if you live in an area that is culturally protected or similar. The municipality knows all that.

3. Choose the right company. According to Malte Rungard, the fact that a supplier is a member of the industry organization Swedish Solar Energy is a good benchmark because it stays up-to-date in matters of safety, working environment, product knowledge, roof knowledge and laws and regulations on electrical installations.

4. Inspect the roof and the solar cells separately. There may be different contractors who carry out the various works and if there is a problem with the roof, there may be a problem with the solar cells. Also, find out what applies to the warranty on the roof before the solar installers start their work.

5. If a battery is to be inserted, it is advisable to do so in connection with the installation of the solar cell system. In this way, you can get more out of the deduction for green technology.

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