Solar subsidy program for apartment buildings and commercial properties

The expansion of solar systems plays an important role on the path to a future-proof and climate-neutral city. With the newly launched funding program, the city of Aachen is specifically strengthening the use of solar energy in apartment buildings and commercial properties of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs according to the EU definition).

The most important facts at a glance

• Solar subsidies for apartment buildings and SME commercial properties
• There are no plans to promote balcony power plants and systems on detached/two-family houses
• Applications via the service portal of the City of Aachen
• Projects must be located in the city area and must not yet have been commissioned
• Shorter waiting times thanks to optimization of the machining process

Funding focus and conditions

Funding is available for projects on and in commercial properties belonging to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and on and in apartment buildings in the case of communal building supply or tenant electricity projects. It should be noted that funding is not provided for balcony power plants or photovoltaic systems on detached and semi-detached houses.

In the area of multi-family homes, photovoltaic systems are subsidized with 200 euros per completed kilowatt peak (maximum 10,000 euros) and battery storage systems with 100 euros per kilowatt hour of usable storage capacity (maximum 5,000 euros).

Roof surveys on and in company buildings of small and medium-sized enterprises are subsidized with 90 percent (max. 4,000 euros) and photovoltaic systems with 100 euros per kilowatt peak (max. 10,000 euros). A flat-rate subsidy of 50 euros is available for solar neighborhood festivals.

Application

Applications for funding can be submitted via the service portal of the City of Aachen.

Please note that systems that are commissioned prior to the application in the funding program cannot be funded. It should also be noted that only projects within the city of Aachen are eligible for funding. Below you will find further information on the procedure.

Application procedure

Please read the funding guidelines provided here before submitting your application and have the following documents to hand:

• Approximate size of the roof area
• Quotation from a photovoltaic installer (and/or a structural engineer, in the case of a roof report). Please obtain this in advance.
• Are you applying on behalf of a small or medium-sized enterprise? Please complete the de minimis declaration (see download area).

After submitting your application via the service portal, proceed as follows:

• Your application will be reviewed by the City of Aachen
• After a successful review, you will receive a grant notification via the service portal
• You can only commission the installer or expert once you have received the grant notification. Note: The work must be carried out within 18 months.
• Once the work has been completed, the following documents must be submitted via the service portal:
  • Final invoice for all work carried out
  • Completed specialist contractor certificate (see download area). In the case of funding for a roof report, the complete report is also required.
  • Photos of the plant
• Once the documents have been successfully checked, the funding amount is released for payment. Note: The processing procedure has been revised and digitized in order to shorten waiting times in the funding program.

Do you have any questions? Please get in touch with the relevant department - see Contact.