Across America’s cities and towns, hundreds of millions of balconies represent an untapped resource, not yet viewed as potential “power-generating assets.” Compared to the boom in balcony photovoltaics in Europe, the United States is still in its early stages regarding policy, grid interconnection, product standards, and business models.
- An Overlooked Vertical Power Resource
If balconies are viewed as a special type of distributed photovoltaic (PV) resource, the United States actually possesses the world’s largest “balcony reserve.”
Based on an estimate of 300 million urban households, and assuming 40% of them have usable balconies or terraces, each household could deploy a 400–800W balcony PV system. This translates to a theoretical developable installed capacity of approximately 50–100 GW.
Benchmarking against the standardized 600–800W power range for balcony PV in Europe, some regions in the U.S. have superior solar irradiation conditions, resulting in a higher energy yield.
- Potential Policy Breakthroughs, Starting with Pilot Cities
Considering the pace of domestic policy evolution, several directions can be anticipated:
- A Dedicated Chapter or Technical Guide for Low-Power Distributed Systems
Within distributed PV guidelines, separately define “small outdoor photovoltaic installations,” providing simplified registration, standardized interconnection, and safety requirements for systems ranging from 200–800W. - Balcony PV Demonstration Communities and Pilot Cities
Jointly led by departments such as housing, energy, and market regulation, the “smart balcony” concept could be introduced in select new or renovated communities. This would involve integrating clothes drying, shading, and PV power generation into architectural designs, supported by fiscal or green financing. - Improved Time-of-Use Pricing and Demand Response Mechanisms
Introduce more flexible time-of-use (TOU) electricity pricing and residential demand response mechanisms in pilot areas. This would enable the combination of balcony PV and small-scale energy storage to genuinely participate in peak shaving and valley filling, thereby generating additional revenue. - Carbon Reduction Labeling and Green Consumption Incentives
Grant “carbon reduction certificates” to households that install balcony PV, providing incentives in areas such as urban green credits, parking, and public services to reinforce a “low-carbon identity.
From an industry perspective, the true takeoff of balcony PV often occurs when three inflection points converge:
- Further Decline in Hardware Costs
The price of PV modules is already at a historic low. If microinverters and balcony mounting brackets see significant price drops due to economies of scale, bringing the entire system down to a sub-$500 price point, the psychological barrier to purchase will be significantly lowered. - Maturation of Standardized Products and One-Stop Services
- Integrated kits comprising “modules + microinverter+ dedicated mounting brackets + prefabricated cables,” accompanied by standardized installation guides.
- Turnkey services provided through e-commerce platforms in collaboration with local installers.
- Highlighting Key Use Cases
For example: users in major metropolitan areas like New York City or San Francisco with “high electricity rates + high-rise apartments”; in southern regions with long summers, balcony PV can prioritize powering air conditioners and refrigerators, emphasizing “energy freedom in the summer”; combined with small-scale energy storage to provide “basic backup power during outages.”
- CNCOB’s New Paradigm for Residential Energy Storage Scenarios
Balcony/Rooftop PV
By utilizing balcony space to hang PV panels, customers can select different products based on the specific environment, such as the BDM-400 and BDM-800 models, which can be installed according to the instructions.
Additionally, CNCOB’s full-stack, in-house developed micro energy storage inverter, the ES-800, is the only hybrid microinverter that can be directly connected to a battery. When not connected to a battery, it functions as a standard grid-tied microinverter.
Users can also create DIY PV products and solutions for scenarios including balconies, gardens, walls, and rooftops.
Select different plugs (optional) based on the region. Operate via the app to connect the inverter to the home Wi-Fi network and meet basic electricity needs.
- CNCOB Reverse Power Protection System
Reverse power protection is a technology used to prevent the reverse flow of current in power systems, safeguarding equipment and ensuring system safety. Typically, a reverse power protection device is installed on the AC side to monitor the current’s direction and control the power generation from the PV inverter‘s DC side.
CNCOB offers a reverse power protection solution that works by installing the BDNZ device, which integrates gateway and electric meter functions into a single unit. By detecting the power direction, it uses built-in logic programming to execute reverse power protection strategies. This can be achieved by either constraining the inverter’s power output or managing load switching via a circuit breaker.
CNCOB’s reverse power protection system enables precise and flexible control, is compatible with single-phase, split-phase, and three-phase systems, and is equipped with Wi-Fi communication capabilities.
- The Foundation of the CNCOB Brand — Microinverters
Available in configurations that support one to four modules per microinverter, giving customers the freedom to choose. Supports 650W+ modules, with an MPPT voltage range of 20-60V and a maximum DC input current of 20A. Supports Wi-Fi and PLC monitoring for precise, real-time data tracking.
Product Models: BDM-1200-LV / BDM-1600-LV
Official Website: www.CNCOB.com
- The Vanguard of Distributed PV System Stability — Micro Energy Storage Inverters
CNCOB’s micro energy storage inverters come in two solutions: a standalone PV micro energy storage inverter that can be paired with a battery, or used without one as a grid-tied inverter. Alternatively, for existing PV systems already equipped with microinverters, a PV DC converter can be added to enable energy storage functionality.
Product Models: ES-1000 / 2000
Official Website: www.CNCOB.com
- Residential Energy Storage Solutions
CNCOB provides a one-stop solution that allows microinverters, hybrid inverters, batteries, and monitoring systems to work together seamlessly. This reduces cumbersome selection processes and significantly improves the operational efficiency of the PV-plus-storage system.
Product Models: BDH-8KSP-LB / BDH-10KSP-LB / BDH-12KSP-LB
Official Website: www.CNCOB.com
- Your PV System’s Guardian — Rapid Shutdown Device
This solution for rooftop PV fire safety keeps the DC-side voltage of each PV module under 80V. Module-level rapid shutdown consists of two parts: the signal transmitter (PVG-C) and the signal receiver (PVG-1/PVG-2/PVG-3).
In the event of excessive module temperature or fire risk, the transmitter sends a signal to rapidly disconnect the module’s DC-side voltage, ensuring system safety. CNCOB’s module-level rapid shutdown is suitable for all commercial and residential systems and supports off-grid applications.
