Information on renewable energies in Germany

Laws and Policies

CCLW

CCLW national policies

Law for the expansion of renewable energies (Renewable Energy Sources Act - EEG 2017)

Easter Package of Renewable Energy Legislation

Press Release on the Abolition of the Surcharge Under the Renewable Energy Sources Act

Law for the expansion of renewable energies (Renewable Energy Sources Act - EEG 2023; consolidated version)

Amended

Law passed

Amendmed

Last amended

This Act (introduced in 2000, amended since) replaced the law on feeding electricity from renewable resources into the public grid of 1990. The Act has set a goal of generating 80% of electricity supply from renewable energy resources by 2030. Below, the main features of some of the last major amendments are specified:&nbsp; The 2012 amendment (Act amending the regulatory framework for electricity from PV)&nbsp;introduced monthly tariff degressions in the national feed-in tariff (FiT), replacing the annual FiT cut that typically occurs in January. A EUR 50m (USD62.7m) research and development programme for PV storage solutions was also established, starting in January 2013.&nbsp; The EEG 2014 introduced four major changes:<ul><li>A deployment corridor for wind, photovoltaics and biomass was set to avoid overshoots;</li><li>Direct marketing is now mandatory for all new installations (with minor exceptions);</li><li>It lays the foundation for tendering of support from 2017 onwards; and</li><li>It removes several subsidies and exemption for energy-intensive consumers and 'prosumers'.&nbsp;</li></ul> The EEG 2017 introduced several new key features: <ul><li>Introduction of an auction system for nearly all renewable energy sources (onshore wind, offshore wind, photovoltaic and biomass);</li><li>Installations of 750kW (for biomass of 150kW) will be exempt from auctions and remunerated as previously; </li><li>The already existing auction scheme for ground mounted PV solar systems will be extended to also cover rooftop plants and installations on other structures;</li><li>The permitted areas for PV solar installations will now also include commercial and industrial property, areas with a plan approval decision or projects which are, subject to further requirements, located in 'disadvantaged areas'; </li><li>Onshore wind: in 2017, 2018 and 2019, 2,800MW and from 2020, 2,900MW (gross) will be auctioned each year;</li><li>Offshore wind: up to 2030, offshore wind farms will be installed with a total capacity of 15,000 MW; and</li><li>The "central 'Danish' target model" will be introduced (the Government examines in advance the sites to be auctioned for wind farms to ensure optimal dovetailing with the grid connections and avoid a stock of grid connections having to be built and resulting in significant extra costs).</li></ul> The EEG 2023 (latest amendment) contains the following key elements: <ul><li>The expansion target for 2030 will be raised to at least 80% of Germany’s gross electricity consumption; </li><li>Priority for renewable energies is made a basic principle; </li><li>To reach the 2030 expansion target the expansion paths have been raised significantly; </li><li>The maximum values in tenders for onshore wind turbines and for PV systems can be adjusted by up to 25% subject to market developments; </li><li>The expansion of PV systems is simplified;</li><li>Provides incentives for accelerated expansion of onshore wind energy;</li><li>Focussing biomass use on highly flexible peak load power plants;</li><li>Increased support for citizens’ energy</li><li>Further development of financial contributions by municipalities; </li><li>Increased support of green hydrogen;</li><li>The EEG levy is abolished by the new Energy Finance Act and will be financed through federal funds;</li><li>New regulation of energy levies; and</li><li>Special equalisation scheme in the area of EEG subsidies will be part of the new Energy Finance Act.</li></ul>

Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG, latest version EEG 2023)

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

This sector involves the wholesale and retail selling of goods.

A subsidy is a direct or indirect payment to individuals or businesses, typically provided as a government cash payment or a specific tax reduction.

A ban is a legal action that prevents the sale or supply of a product or service, or that recalls a product from the market. Examples are bans on SF6, greenwashing, fossil fuel advertisement or single-use plastics.

Energy derived from biological compounds that are renewable due to their short life cycle within the carbon dioxide cycle.

The activities of industries involved in the production, distribution, and sale of energy, including electricity, gas, and renewables.

Air pollution involves harmful contaminants in the air, affecting both indoor and outdoor environments. It can lead to health issues like respiratory diseases and heart problems, and climate impacts such as global warming. Pollutants can damage plants, trees, habitats, and water bodies like rivers and lakes.

This sector creates and distributes information and entertainment through television, radio, print, and digital platforms.

Heat extracted from the ground, usually in the form of hot water or steam and typically referred to as hydrothermal fluid.

This sector involves managing waste treatment, sanitation, pollution control and environmental cleanup.

Coal is a combustible sedimentary rock formed from carbonised plant matter, rich in carbon and hydrocarbons, and occurring in several main types including hard coal and brown coal.

Electrical energy generated from mechanical devices driven by flowing fresh water.

Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

Production of electricity and heat from solar irradiation.

Kinetic energy of airflow transformed into useful energy, mostly electrical energy.

Activities that involve planning, designing and building infrastructure, residential, and commercial structures.

Zoning and spatial planning are both methods for guiding the distribution of people and activities in a space, and are regulatory restriction.

People whose health, both mental and physical, makes them more vulnerable to the effects of climate change

Codes and standards are regulatory instruments that specify minimum standards to protect health and safety. This ranges from performance standards, which prescribe outcomes while allowing flexibility to achieve compliance, to the more prescriptive approach of technology-specific standards.

Fossil gas, commonly known as natural gas, is a fossil fuel consisting chiefly of methane with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons and trace gases, found in underground deposits.

Information on renewable energies in Germany

Target

Policy instrument

Risk

Impacted group

Renewable energy

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Adaptation/resilience

Finance