What's changing with the new 800W balcony solar rule

The framework for self-consumption and net billing is already in force, with an official gazette publication dating to 2024. The missing piece is specifically the ministerial decision for plug-in systems up to 800W.

In late April 2026, the energy ministry's (YPEN) target was to finalise the text and open a public consultation, with final approval by the end of May 2026. Greek outlets (To Vima, Ta Nea, CNN Greece, B2Green) covered the 800W announcement and the simple digital notification extensively at the time. As of today, though, we've found no gazette publication.

The wider picture has some friction, too. On July 1, 2026, the PV industry association (SEF) sent an open letter to the Prime Minister about delays to a related, still-pending decision on simultaneous self-consumption netting — not the balcony rule specifically, but a sign of the mood. The letter notes roughly 3.5 years since the law that abolished net metering and 22 months since the related decision, while self-consumption installations fell 30% in 2025. Meanwhile, industry groups (such as EPAFI) were still lobbying on how a balcony system should be defined — a sign the text wasn't locked.

The bottom line: strong intent, a stable design, but not law yet — and a regulatory environment under criticism for chronic delay. For the authoritative, evergreen answer on what applies, see our rules page, which we maintain separately.

For apartment owners, the big change is simplicity: no building permit and, in the general case, no building-wide sign-off — a meaningful difference from traditional PV licensing.

Two caveats remain. First, listed buildings and traditional settlements are expected to fall under an exception, possibly still needing approval. Second, the building's own internal regulation can restrict a visibly mounted panel on the facade, even where the state doesn't require consent. "No permit needed" doesn't override your building's private rules.