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Germany’s PV storage program on hold

Germany’s support program for photovoltaic battery storage systems is currently on hold, due to lost revenues from emissions trading. The framework for the program had already largely been agreed upon by the Federal Environment Ministry and KfW state bank.

Expected deficiencies in Germany's Energy and Climate Fund have cast uncertainty over the planned support program for photovoltaic battery storage systems.

Solarpraxis/Andreas Schlegel

Lack of revenue for the Energy and Climate Fund is said to be currently delaying the German Federal Government’s funding program for photovoltaic plant battery storage systems.

A spokesperson for the Federal Environment Ministry confirmed to pv magazine that the program has been put on hold. It is currently unclear when the program, which is expected to allocate €50 million to the promotion of storage systems, will get underway.

The framework for the program, which will be operated by the KfW state bank, had already largely been negotiated on with the Federal Environment Ministry. Indeed, the banks were informed of the details in a in a circular distributed earlier this month by KfW.

Originally, it was planned that the program would be launched on May 1. The ministry spokesperson added that plans to launch it on this date are still on the table. However, no accurate forecasts could, at present, be provided.

Germany’s "Taz" has reported in its latest issue that the energy and climate fund, whose revenues come from emissions trading, is threatened by massive revenue losses. It wrote that since prices for green electricity have significantly decreased and would lag behind the originally calculated prices, revenues could be €1 billion, instead of the planned €2 billion.

Germany’s Federal Government supports various programs, including building renovation and international climate protection projects via the Energy and Climate Fund. Taz reported that up until mid-February, just €30 million has been paid to projects this year. This, it said, is just half of the planned budget.

According to Steffen Kampeter, who was responding to an enquiry from Taz, internal government deliberations are still currently ongoing regarding the budget allocation for 2013.

Translated and edited by Becky Beetz.