Old building solar obligation: CDU lets Kretschmann accumulate

Created: 2022-10-09Updated: 2022-10-09 11:34 am

Employees of a company install photovoltaic modules on the roof of a residential building.

© Marijan Murat/dpa/symbol image

Every house in the southwest is to become a small solar power plant.

The Greens are pushing for a solar obligation for older houses as well.

But the coalition partner considers another obligation in the crisis to be the wrong way.

Stuttgart - The Greens around Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann bite with their demand for a solar obligation for older buildings at the coalition partner CDU on granite.

Building Minister Nicole Razavi (CDU) and CDU environmental politician Raimund Haser told the German Press Agency that before discussing further obligations, the federal government must remove hurdles and provide more incentives for a solar system.

“We have now opened the Climate Protection Act for the second time in two years.

I can't imagine that we'll do that again in 2023 under the same conditions," said Haser.

Environment Minister Thekla Walker (Greens) reacted angrily to this announcement.

Green Environment Minister insists on consultation in coalition

Walker told the dpa: "We have agreed within the coalition that we will deal with the topic of photovoltaics on existing buildings again in a year's time with an open mind." In view of the current energy crisis, it is wrong to rule out such a measure now.

"Because we cannot afford to simply leave such exposed areas unused when expanding photovoltaics."

Greens parliamentary group leader Andreas Schwarz also recalled agreements.

The discussion about an extension of the photovoltaic obligation will be conducted in the coming year, he said on Sunday.

"Then there is a proposal on the table with a sufficiently long transition period so that everyone has planning security and we get more electricity from renewable energies." However, "all useful and implementable proposals that quickly lead to more green electricity are welcome".

SPD parliamentary group leader Andreas Stoch said about the dispute in the coalition: "And once again all the cheap green announcements are followed by the blockade by the CDU." He forbade criticism of the SPD-led federal government.

"The reason why Baden-Württemberg is not making progress with the expansion of renewable energies lies with the green-black state government and nowhere else."

Razavi: Solar systems must be feasible and affordable

Construction Minister Razavi explained that, for example, the federal government must release the brakes on tenant electricity - this is electricity that is generated on a residential building and consumed there directly.

"And we should set smart incentives," said the CDU politician.

"We have to make photovoltaic systems so attractive that the question of an obligation no longer arises." If such a system "is feasible and affordable and also pays off within a few years, then everyone will do it".

CDU reacts to Kretschmann's announcement of the Green Party Congress

At the Green Party Congress two weeks ago, Kretschmann pushed for a solar requirement for older buildings as well.

He hopes that the green-black coalition will be ready next year to decide on the general obligation, said the green head of government.

He knows that this will not happen overnight - also because the energy and inflation crisis is putting a heavy financial burden on many households.

But by 2035 this is feasible and reasonable.

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CDU man Haser also thinks Kretschmann's advance is the wrong way.

Instead of thinking about new duties of the citizens, one should rather stick to the duties of the state.

"Promote line construction, end the madness for approval, create storage options and not symbolically discuss obligations that should apply on the never-ending day - i.e. 2035."

Solar obligation for older buildings not in the coalition agreement

In the most recent negotiations on the climate protection law, the solar obligation for older buildings was excluded under pressure from the CDU.

The following already applies: Anyone who wants to build a new house in the south-west has had to have a solar system installed on their roof since the beginning of May.

In addition, from 2023 homeowners will also have to have a photovoltaic system installed during a thorough roof renovation.

A solar obligation for older buildings is not in the coalition agreement between the Greens and the CDU.

Haser referred to many bureaucratic problems with the systems.

First of all, these are complicated to register and put into operation.

Then there is a "billing hiccup between own use and external delivery".

The CDU energy expert criticized: “Instead of changing the system in such a way that the roofs fill up by themselves, the green Ministry of Economic Affairs in the federal government leaves everything as it is and relies on the obligation in this country.

That is not my idea of ​​sensible regulatory policy.”

Walker bemoans the grand coalition's "prevention policy."

A spokesman for the Environment Minister replied: "The statements by the CDU are incomprehensible because the new federal government is currently busy removing all the bureaucratic obstacles of the previous government, which massively blocked the expansion of renewables for years." The grand coalition of Union and SPD has also meant that hundreds of thousands of jobs in the wind power and solar industries have been lost and production facilities have been relocated to China.

"Capacities that we urgently need now to expand renewables and to make ourselves independent of fossil energy supplies as quickly as possible and to achieve our climate protection goals."

Haser said that photovoltaics is currently experiencing an “incredible boom.

In the coming years, the megawatt outputs will increase to such an extent that the grid will reach its limits anyway.” Haser also criticized Kretschmann's statement that solar systems on all suitable roofs in the southwest could replace the annual output of five nuclear power plants.

"The statement that 60 terawatt hours of photovoltaics corresponds to 60 terawatt hours of nuclear power is wrong as long as storage overnight and especially over the winter is not possible on an industrial scale." Photovoltaics is a building block of the energy transition.

"As is well known, you don't build a house with a building block." dpa