Germany predicted to see three GW in PV installations in the first half of the year

“Over the last weeks we’ve recorded a wave of data specifications. Many installation operators want to profit from higher compensatory rates. Compensatory rates in the renewable energy laws relevant to installations operational as of July 1, 2010 have been significantly lowered. The preliminary evaluation of the months of January to May 2010 already shows an increase in building of 1.7 GW. Working on the basis of the data specifications available to us, the conclusion can be drawn that in June alone, a growth of installed capacity will occur close to the entire amount installed in the first five months of the year,” commented Matthias Kurth, president of the German Federal Network Agency.
At the end of last year, the installed capacity of PV installations in Germany stood at a total of 9.8 GW. Over the entire year, the growth of installed capacity added up to about 3.8 GW. A total of around 160,000 data specifications were entered with the Federal Network Agency last year.
As of last January 1, installation operators must register with the Federal Network Agency the location and capacity of any PV installation becoming operational.
The degression and compensatory rates for the next year will be calculated on the basis of the figures of the Federal Network Agency, and in accordance with the prescriptions of the new Renewable Energy Law (EEG). The altered EEG contains more threshold values for higher or lower degression.
“By October 31 2010, we will publish the degression and compensatory rates for 2010. We’re reckoning on increased degression, which will lead to a further sinking of compensatory rates in 2011,” concludes Kurth.