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Germany: A rescue plan proposed

Green energy politician, Hans-Josef Fell has requested the government to mitigate the drastic cuts that are being made to the photovoltaics subsidies. German photovoltaic manufacturers are also in the need of support from industry politics.

Fell has suggestions for the federal government.

Solarpraxis AG/Therese Aufschlager

Fell calls for the financing of such support to be covered by the subventions given to coal and nuclear power. Fell has drawn up a rescue plan for solar power in Germany. He aims to "correct the disastrous solar policy" the government has recently announced as the local media 'Frankfurter Rundschau' reported.

Apart from reducing the severity of the solar cuts, Fell also suggests a "solar active industry policy". The media reported that this comprises of government guarantees for companies that are in trouble or headed for trouble, increased research funding, and support for the renewal of equipment in existing factories so that they can start producing competitively again.

Additionally Fell also sees the need for German photovoltaic companies to be given an export intitative so that they can quickly be brought to emerging photovoltaic markets like China, India and South America. The financing will come from the reduction of subventions from coal and nuclear power.

Fell is supported by Ulrich Blum from the Halle University, Germany. Blum also told the media that an "industry politics emergency program" needs to happen quickly. Blum added that after the energy policy change, the companies that have declared insolvency need to be given some more time for restructuring. The federal government needs to step in, because the state governments are overwhelmed. The aim is to reestablish Germany's lead as innovations forerunner in photovoltaics.