Energy in Germany – Legal Issues, Facts and Opinions
On 13 April, the Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy of the German Bundestag held a public hearing on the Act on the Digitisation of the Energy Turnaround. A key component of this bill is the Metering Point Operating Act (Messstellenbetriebsgesetz – MsbG). Despite agreement in many areas, the experts also remained critical on various aspects of the bill.
Continue reading ‘Committee Hearing on Proposed Bill on the Digitisation of the Energy Turnaround’
I am happy to report that Euromoney included me in their new 2016 list of top legal practitioners advising on energy law. Continue reading ‘Euromoney’s Expert Guide for Energy 2016′
A ministrial draft for a recast of the Combined Heat and Power Act (KWKG) is now available on the internet. KWKG promotes power generated in CHP plants as well as heating and cooling networks and the respective storage facilities. The draft does not change the goal of a share of power generated in CHP plants of 25% by 2020, but contains many other amendments. They correspond mostly to the key points we informed about on 17 July 2015. The Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry (BDEW) has voiced criticism and demanded changes.
A revised ministerial draft on the planned amendment of the Combined Heat and Power Act (KWKG 2016) is currently being discussed. The draft has not yet been officially released, but some key elements are already being discussed. Reportedly, the draft will provide for a phasing-out of the coal-fired combined heat and power (CHP), a change in the CHP expansion target and an increase of the CHP support for electricity from CHP plants. The previous support for electricity from CHP which is not fed into the grid for the general supply shall be dropped, with a few exceptions. In addition, mandatory direct marketing of electricity from CHP plants with more than 100 kilowatts shall be introduced.
On June 30, 2015, the President of the German Cartel Office (“Bundeskartellamt”), Andreas Mundt, presented the Activity Report for the years 2013/2014. At the same time the authority also published its “Annual Report 2014“.
Continue reading ‘German Cartel Office: Activity Report 2013/2014’
The European Commission has today adopted its European Energy Union Package. It includes three communications, covering a “Framework Strategy for a Resilient Energy Union with a Forward-Looking Climate Change Policy, and Interconnection Communication, and a communication setting out a vision for a global climate agreement in Paris in December.
Continue reading ‘Commission Adopts Strategy for European Energy Union’
After the reform of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) in 2014, reforms and regulations regarding the energy market design, combined heat and power, the incentive regulation, grid expansion, renewable energy, CO2 savings in power plants and energy efficiency, had to be tackled, the Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry (BDEW) demanded at the beginning of the new year. In a BDEW survey 39% of those surveyed saw their economic conditions worsening over the last two years. Utilities with conventional power capacity were hardest hit.
Investment in new municipal power plants dropped by 22% to EUR 4.87 billion in 2013 (2012: EUR 6.24 billion) and was even 44% down compared with 2012, a survey by the Association of German Municipal Enterprises (VKU) showed.
The Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry (BDEW) has criticised current plans for state spending in the energy sector, in particular for heating, foreseen in the bill on the federal budget for 2015. The bill was introduced into Parliament yesterday.
Continue reading ‘BDEW Criticises 2015 Budget Bill for Energy Sector, Particularly Heating’
According to the latest data by the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), 1,346,528 renewable power installations were generating energy in Germany in 2012. Hildegard Müller, Chairman of the BDEW Executive Board, called the plans for an overhaul of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) an important step in the right direction, but said a number of issues still needed to be resolved.
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Dr. Mutthias Leng Rechtsanwalt |
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Annute Leng Rachtsanwältin |
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