The Environmental Atlas maps are available in the new Map Application
Data source: Energieatlas Berlin, based on MaStR data of the BNetzA.
Image: Data source: Energieatlas Berlin, based on MaStR data of the BNetzA.
As many PV systems generate more electricity than is used for self-consumption, the surplus is fed into the public grid. Between 2012 and 2023, this total volume of surplus electricity rose steadily from around 43 GWh to 78.4 GWh (see Fig. 5). According to the latest data, the highest absolute numbers are recorded in the boroughs of Marzahn-Hellersdorf (13,836.8 MWh) and Treptow-Köpenick (10,278.8 MWh) (see Tab. 3). Overall, electricity fed into the grid is concentrated in the northern and eastern boroughs. By contrast, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg records the lowest volume, reflecting its position as the borough with the fewest systems and a comparatively low total capacity. At the more detailed postcode level, residential areas dominated by single-family homes again stand out, mirroring the pattern observed for installed capacity.
Tab. 2: Installed vs potential PV capacity, by borough. Data source: Solarcity Monitoringbericht, based on MaStR data of the BNetzA, as of 6 March 2024.
Image: Umweltatlas Berlin
The most recent data on PV systems in Berlin, including system locations and borough-level deployment statistics, are available in map and chart form via the Energieatlas Berlin. A detailed annual analysis of PV expansion in the city is published separately in the Masterplan Solarcity Monitoringbericht (available in German only).
Results of the Rooftop PV Potential Assessment
Of approximately 536,000 buildings analysed, around 421,000 were identified as suitable for photovoltaic installations. If the 45.7 km² of theoretically suitable roof areas were fully fitted with PV modules (assuming a module efficiency of 19.5 %), they could generate roughly 7,929 GWh of electricity per year, avoiding an estimated 4.3 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
Tab. 3: Results of Berlin’s rooftop PV potential assessment (flat roofs assumed with elevated, south-facing systems; IP SYSCON 2022).
Image: Umweltatlas Berlin
As there is no central register for solar thermal systems, a comprehensive dataset for Berlin is not currently available. Various approaches are being developed to strengthen the data foundation as part of the Masterplan Solarcity monitoring programme. Based on these methods, it is estimated that around 8,900 solar thermal systems were installed in Berlin in 2024, with a total collector area of approximately 94,300 m².
The majority of systems are located on the city’s outskirts. This pattern is evident in both detailed and aggregated map representations, which show system distribution by postcode and borough (data as of 31 March 2024). At the borough level, the highest concentrations are found in Steglitz-Zehlendorf (1,224 systems), Treptow-Köpenick (1,155), Marzahn-Hellersdorf (1,133) and Reinickendorf (1,122) (see Tab. 4). As with PV installations, most of these are smaller systems installed on privately owned single- and two-family homes (data as of 31 March 2024). By contrast, substantially fewer systems are recorded in the inner city, such as in the boroughs of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg (76 systems), Mitte (104) and Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (209). These inner-city systems, however, often have higher rated capacity and/or greater heat generation potential, with collector areas typically ranging from 15 to 37 m², and are generally located on public-sector or commercial/industrial buildings (data as of 31 March 2024).
Tab. 4: Solar thermal system counts in Berlin’s boroughs (data as of 31 March 2024) and in the public sector (data as of 20 February 2024) for the year 2023.
Image: Energieatlas Berlin
The most recent data on solar thermal systems in Berlin, including system locations and borough-level deployment statistics, are available in map and chart form via the Energieatlas Berlin (available in German only). A detailed annual analysis of solar thermal expansion in the city is published separately in the Masterplan Solarcity Monitoringbericht (available in German only).
Results of the Solar Thermal Potential Assessment
Of approximately 536,000 buildings analysed, more than 464,000 were identified as suitable for solar thermal installations, corresponding to a total potential collector area of 66.2 km².
Tab. 5: Results of Berlin’s rooftop solar thermal potential assessment (flat roofs assumed with elevated, south-facing systems; IP SYSCON 2022).
Image: Umweltatlas Berlin
Fig. 6: Effect of tree shading and roof orientation on calculated rooftop solar irradiation (mean annual totals in kWh/(m²/a)). Top: calculated solar irradiation for surface grids at 0.5 × 0.5 m² spatial resolution, with building footprints outlined in black. Bottom left: cropped section from an aerial image (February 2021); bottom right: cropped section from an aerial image (August 2020).
Image: Aerial imagery from the Geoportal Berlin, DOP20RGBI (bottom left) and TrueDOP20RGB – summer survey (bottom right).
The highest levels of solar irradiation are found on south-facing pitched roofs fully exposed to the sun, as well as on open vegetated areas such as the Tempelhofer Feld, where values can reach about 1,000 kWh/(m²/a). By contrast, forested and tree-covered areas receive much less sunlight, typically between 250 and 300 kWh/(m²/a), due to shading and surface characteristics.
These patterns closely reflect urban climate effects, as illustrated in the Urban Climate Atlas.
The Solar Potential – Solar Irradiation Map (08.09.3) can therefore be used for a wide range of applications.
Berlin Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing
Mr. Hartbecke