As of: February 19, 2024, 8:04 p.m
By: Laura May
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Press
Split
While Federal Economics Minister Habeck is still discussing his solar package, one federal state is already introducing the Solar Euro to relieve the burden on municipalities.
Berlin – More solar power, less bureaucracy – that’s the idea behind the federal government’s Solar Package 1.
But the law from Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (The Greens) is stuck in parliamentary business.
The federal government is aiming for climate neutrality for Germany by 2045 and wants to significantly advance the expansion of solar energy by 2030, because the energy transition was the central theme of the green election campaign.
The Union is now talking about a deliberate delay in solar funding on the part of the traffic light coalition.
Energy transition: Smaller communities should benefit from ground-mounted PV systems
While the federal government is discussing the major decisions in energy policy, Brandenburg is the first federal state to introduce the so-called Solar Euro - a levy from solar system operators to the municipalities on whose land the open-space systems are located.
The operators should give 2,000 euros per year to the respective municipality for each megawatt of installed capacity.
Balcony power plants and roof systems are not affected.
As the
Inside Digital
platform reports, Brandenburg plans to submit the tax from January 1, 2025.
From then on, smaller communities should also benefit financially from the expansion of photovoltaics.
The money can be used to support local projects.
The idea behind it is to strengthen the population's acceptance of major energy policy projects.
So far, the federal and state governments in particular have benefited from the taxes paid by investors and system operators; the solar euro is intended to directly benefit the regions and municipalities.
Robert Habeck (Greens) wants to promote the expansion of solar energy.
© IMAGO/Frank Ossenbrink
Investors fear losing a third of their profits if they pay for solar systems
As expected, operators and investors in solar systems reject the Solar Euro because the taxes reduce their profits.
As the company CleanSource Energy calculates to
Inside Digital
, they could lose a third of their profits due to the solar euro.
One megawatt delivers annual income of around 68,000 euros, of which they would then have to give away 200, which is only three percent.
But according to CleanSource Energy, their profit margin for ground-mounted systems is around 10 percent.
The 200 euros would reduce your total profit by around a third.
The introduction of the solar euro will make Brandenburg less attractive for investors compared to other federal states.