Solar Panel ROI Calculator – Germany 2026
Enter your solar system's parameters or use the simple wizard to find out the annual savings, payback period and electricity production in Germany.
Basic
| Setup 1 | |
|---|---|
| Payback period | 6.36 years |
| Annual savings | €1,261 |
| Lifetime savings | €39,264 |
| Annual production | 7000 kWh |
| CO₂ saved | 2.35 t/year |
| Self-consumption | 35 % |
This calculation is indicative and is based on the entered inputs and average values for Germany (specific yield, electricity prices, a representative feed-in tariff for surplus feed-in (Überschusseinspeisung) rather than an exact distinction from Volleinspeisung and the six-monthly EEG degression). Actual production and savings depend on the specific roof, orientation, shading and installer. It does not replace a quote from a solar installer.
How solar panel ROI is calculated
Annual production is calculated as the installed capacity (kWp) multiplied by the specific yield (kWh produced per year per 1 kWp) for the given location in Germany. Part of the electricity produced is used directly by the household (self-consumption), while the rest is exported to the grid at the feed-in tariff (Einspeisevergütung).
Annual savings are the sum of two parts: money saved on electricity that would otherwise have been bought (self-consumption × electricity price), and income from surplus exported to the grid (remaining production × feed-in tariff).
The payback period is the year in which cumulative savings exceed the net investment (system and any battery price, minus the subsidy). The calculator also accounts for the annual rise in electricity prices and the gradual degradation of panel output.
The calculator lets you compare 2–3 setups side by side, for example a system without a battery and one with a battery, and immediately see the difference in payback period and total savings.
Frequently asked questions
How is the annual solar production calculated?
Multiply the system size in kWp by the location's specific yield in kWh/kWp/year. In Germany, the typical figure is around 1000 kWh/kWp/year, higher in the south (Bavaria), lower in the northern coastal regions.
What does self-consumption mean and why does it matter?
It's the share of produced electricity you use directly instead of exporting it to the grid. Higher self-consumption means a faster payback, because purchased electricity is more expensive than the feed-in tariff for surplus.
Is battery storage worth it?
A battery increases self-consumption and therefore savings, but also increases the investment. Compare the setup with and without a battery in the calculator – the higher the electricity price and daytime usage, the sooner a battery pays off.
What is Germany's Einspeisevergütung and why does the calculator use a lower rate?
Germany's EEG law distinguishes two rates: a lower one for surplus feed-in (Überschusseinspeisung, when you self-consume part of the production) and a higher one for exporting the entire production to the grid (Volleinspeisung, with no self-consumption). The calculator uses a representative rate for the more common surplus feed-in case. The rate also declines slightly every 6 months (EEG degression).
Why does production decrease over time?
Solar panels gradually lose a small amount of output over time (degradation, typically around 0.5% per year). The calculator accounts for this in the production and savings estimate over the system's full lifetime.
How much CO₂ does a home solar system save?
It depends on annual production and the emissions factor of the German electricity grid, which remains higher than Austria's, Slovakia's, Czechia's and Hungary's due to the still-significant share of coal generation, even after the 2023 nuclear phase-out. The calculator converts the electricity produced into tonnes of CO₂ saved per year based on the current energy mix.