Germany’s Bundesrat also approves PV plan

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Following the mediation committee's eventual compromise on the EEG (renewable energy law), and the approval of the Bundestag (lower house of parliament) just hours later, Germany’s Bundesrat (upper house of parliament) has now voted in favor of the new photovoltaic cuts and changes.

At yesterday’s meeting of the Bundestag, the proposal was not discussed, but formally voted on. While the Left abstained, members of the Union, the Free Democratic Party (FDP), the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Greens all voted in favor of the amendments.

Today, however, the Bundesrat looked again at the new EEG plan. The debate was attended by, among others, Saxony Anhalt’s Minister President, Reiner Haseloff from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Minister of Economic Affairs from Thüringen and Brandenburg, Matthias Machnid (SPD), and Ralf Christoffers (Left). Federal Environment Minister, Peter Altmaier was also present.

On May 11, the Bundesrat stopped the EEG from passing into law, and referred the matter to a mediation committee, which was tasked with finding a compromise on the changes. However, following today’s meeting, the law can finally be passed.

An overview of the cuts:

  • From April 1, photovoltaic plants between 10 and 40 kW will receive 18.5 euro cents per kWh;
  • Plants smaller than 10 kW will receive 19.5 euro cents per kWh;
  • Plants over 40 kW to one MW will receive 16.5 euro cents per kWh; and
  • Plants between one and 10 MW will receive 13.5 euro cents per kWh.

A monthly degression of one percent will also be retroactively applied to May 1. Then, from November, depending on how much has been installed, the monthly degression can either be increased or decreased, from between 2.8 and minus 0.5 percent.

Meanwhile, all systems above 10 MW will not receive subsidies. However, Germany’s Environment Minister, Peter Altmaier stated that exceptions will be granted. "In the EEG, there will be regulatory power, which allows the federal government, with the consent of the Bundesrat and Bundestag, to introduce a subsidy for plants with a capacity of more than 10 MW," he said.

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