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Wind and solar systems at Bitterfeld-Wolfen: more green electricity needed
Photo: Jan Woitas / DPA
The black-red coalition has agreed on a reform for a faster expansion of green electricity in Germany.
After lengthy negotiations, the CDU, CSU and SPD agreed on still open points in the reform of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), as representatives of the parliamentary groups announced.
This includes regulations for the continued operation of older solar and wind power plants that will soon no longer receive any subsidies.
In addition, there will in future be a financial contribution for communities where wind turbines are built.
"It is important for me that we strengthen the role of the local communities, which are to receive a larger share of the business tax revenue from wind farms in the future," said Union parliamentary group vice-president Carsten Linnemann (CDU).
The self-consumption of self-produced solar power should also be made easier, and simplifications are also planned for solar systems on apartment buildings.
The EEG reform is to be decided by the Bundestag and Bundesrat this week so that it can come into force on January 1st.
Svenja Schulze: »Nonsense averted«
Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) spoke of "very important improvements" that could be achieved in the negotiations.
Among other things, the "nonsense" had been averted that older but still functional wind turbines had to be taken off the grid.
The wind power industry feared that these could be unprofitable after the subsidy expired.
Green parliamentary group vice-president Oliver Krischer saw the resolutions as "small improvements for the energy turnaround, but which will not lead to an urgently needed expansion of renewable energies".
In addition, the agreement would be "expensive for private households" because hundreds of companies would subsequently be exempted from paying the EEG surcharge.
The European Union is forcing the federal government to raise the expansion targets by 2030. However, the coalition postponed a decision on this to the first quarter of 2021. So far, the federal government has been striving to increase the share of green electricity in electricity consumption to 65 percent by 2030.
Last week, however, the EU countries agreed on higher climate protection targets.
More green electricity through Corona
"We have to significantly increase our efforts in all sectors," said Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) at the start of the EU Energy Ministers Conference.
Germany is also ready for this.
"We will increase the share of renewable energies in all sectors and make significant progress in energy efficiency in all areas."
This year, renewable energies such as wind and solar power covered a good 46 percent of electricity consumption in Germany.
However, this was also due to the corona pandemic, which depressed electricity consumption in the spring.
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