© dena

Solar electricity from your neighbour: what is now permitted under energy sharing?

Buying solar electricity generated by your neighbour – legally and via the public electricity grid? dena energy expert Lisa Strippchen explains what has been permitted since 1 June 2026 and what energy sharing is all about.

This is what it’s all about: sharing electricity within the community

Since 1 June 2026, citizens, municipalities, cooperatives and small and medium-sized enterprises have been able to share locally generated electricity, enabling them to play an active role in driving the energy transition in their local communities. 

The public electricity grid is used to distribute the electricity. What makes this model different is that, below certain thresholds, those sharing electricity are not regarded as conventional energy suppliers. This means that, in many cases, they are exempt from extensive supplier obligations. For example, a household with a photovoltaic installation on its roof can now share surplus solar electricity with a neighbour within the same electricity distribution grid area. This is not limited to photovoltaic systems – other renewable energy installations and energy storage systems can also be used for energy sharing. From 2028, energy sharing is also expected to become possible across neighbouring electricity distribution grid areas.