Germany's Economics Minister seeks to reduce PV FIT to €0.10/kWh

26 April 2013

Germany’s Federal Economics Minister and Free Democratic Party (FDP) leader has said he wants to reduce the country’s photovoltaic FIT to just €0.10/kWh. In his view, investment could thus be encouraged in storage systems.

At a regional dialogue in Gera, Thuringia, Philipp Rösler has called for a photovoltaic subsidy totaling just €0.10/kWh, reports German newspaper Ostthüringischen Zeitung. "This increases the incentive to deliver [energy according] to the market situation and also promotes investment in energy storage," he reportedly said.

In his statement, Rösler has once again spoken out against Germany’s renewable energy law (EEG); and underlined his belief that specified tariffs should be abolished. In his opinion, the EEG is a planned economic system to promote renewable energies, which only leads to high prices.

With a nod to Germany’s ailing solar industry, Rösler added that it is a mistake to focus just on the installation of new photovoltaic systems, which mainly see Chinese manufacturers benefit. Germany has invested too little into research, he said.

European harmonization called for again

Rösler’s statements tie into a publication released by the German Federal Economics Ministry this week, which referred to the deliberations of the EU Energy Minister in Dublin over Europe’s energy policy until 2030.

Here too, demands were made by the German Economics Ministry for the Europe-wide harmonization of renewable energy promotion. "We need a solution for Europe’s energy and climate policy, which focuses on cost efficiency, strengthens Europe’s competitiveness, and considers developments outside of the EU," stated State Secretary Stefan Kapferer.

Renewables have long outgrown their infancy, he said, adding, "We therefore need to gradually introduce more competition to the market, introduce competition, and expose market price risks. Moreover, I would call for more coordination of renewable promotion at an EU level and harmonization, with the aim of reducing costs."

Official enquiries from pv magazine regarding the EEG and solar subsidies have remained unanswered by the German Federal Economics Ministry.