Taufkirchen: Intact PV system threatened with dismantling
Created: 07/26/2022, 09:30 am
By: Stefan Weinzierl
This photovoltaic system is threatened with dismantling: According to the managing director, the system does not pay off for the operating company.
© Bürgersolargesellschaft
The operating company is aiming for a takeover by the municipality - but Taufkirchen hesitates.
Taufkirchen – The use of solar energy is essential for a successful energy transition.
All experts agree on that.
Nevertheless, a fully functional photovoltaic system in the municipality of Taufkirchen could be dismantled in the foreseeable future - because it is possible that nobody would want it anymore.
"It would really be a pity," says Ulrich Haushofer, who has been in charge of the system up until now.
Haushofer is still the managing director of the Bürgersolargesellschaft Taufkirchen I GbR.
The approximately 30 members of the company realized the construction of the PV system on the roof of the fire station, which cost around 120,000 euros, 20 years ago – with equity, among other things.
The roof was provided by the municipality free of charge at the time.
In return, the civil solar company committed to dismantling the solar modules.
Now the company wants to dissolve.
"The system has long paid for itself," says Haushofer.
With an output of 31.5 kilowatts peak, it has generated more than 600,000 kilowatt hours of electricity in 20 years, which, according to Haushofer, can supply around eight households and yielded a return of 4.1 percent.
Even now, the PV modules would still bring excellent yields, emphasizes the managing director.
The technical term is likely to be many years.
But why does the civil solar society no longer want to operate the PV system?
"It's the feed-in tariff," explains Haushofer.
The amount of remuneration was previously just under 50 cents and was guaranteed.
This guarantee expires at the end of the year.
From 2023, the remuneration will no longer be fixed, but will be based on the stock market price.
"It doesn't pay off"
According to Haushofer, it was just over seven cents last year.
Despite the turbulence on the energy market and the planned energy transition, he does not believe that the price will exceed the ten cent mark in the foreseeable future.
So the shareholders can only expect minimal proceeds.
In view of the mandatory expenses for the tax consultant, the insurance of the plant and the shareholders' meetings - not to mention the remuneration of the managing director - it doesn't pay off.
If, on the other hand, the municipality uses the system for its own consumption, it is definitely profitable for them, says Haushofer.
The managing director says that initial talks with the community have already taken place.
There were positive signals from the community.
The head of the building authority in the town hall, Stefan Beer, disagrees.
The civil solar society approached the community and presented their proposal.
So far, the municipality has only promised to have the system checked by an expert.
He is supposed to inspect the modules next week and check whether the system is suitable for generating electricity for the fire station.
Only if this is the case will the municipality possibly negotiate a takeover with the company.
And there is a second sticking point: the existing dismantling obligation.
As its chairman Ulrich Gienger emphasizes, the company has set aside 9,000 euros for the dismantling of the plant.
But if you donate the modules to the municipality for a symbolic price of one euro, you want to keep this money.
The municipality should bear the costs for a later dismantling.
"There is still a need for discussion there," says Beer diplomatically.
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Gienger sees this differently: "Before we give the community the 9,000 euros, we'd rather dismantle the system."