Energy in Germany – Legal Issues, Facts and Opinions
In its session this morning, the Bundesrat also consented to the Mediation Committee’s compromise for revised solar feed-in tariffs. After promulgation, the new feed-in tarriffs for photovoltaics shall apply retroactively as of 1 April 2012. The new PV feed-in tariffs as of 1 July 2012 will range from 13.1 to 18.92 ct/kWh, with further reductions in the following months.
Continue reading ‘Bundesrat Clears Reduced German Solar Feed-in Tariffs’
According to data from the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), newly installed solar electricity generation capacity amounted to 2,328 MWp. This would bring the German PV capacity to about 27.1 GWp by end of April 2012.
Continue reading ‘2.3 GWp of Newly Installed German PV Capacity by End of April 2012’
Yesterday the German Parliament (Bundestag) approved the proposals for compromises made by the Mediation Committee of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat (Federal Council) for the solar feed-in tariffs cuts ad the CCS bill to transpose Directive 2009/31/EC on the geological storage of carbon dioxide into German law.
After months of political stalemate, the Mediation Committee of the Bundestag (Parliament) and the Bundesrat (Federal Council) reached an agreement on a highly controversial bill on carbon capture and storage.
Continue reading ‘Mediation Committee Proposal for CCS Bill’
The Mediation Committee of the Bundestag (Parliament) and the Bundesrat (Federal Council) has finally reached an agreement on the controversial issue of solar feed-in tariff cuts. The agreement introduces a cap on solar feed-in tariffs at 52 GW and a new solar feed-in tariff of 18.50 ct/kWh (instead of 16.50 ct/kWh) for rooftop plants with a capacity between 10 kW to 40 kW. Cuts shall enter into force retroactively on 1 April 2012.
Continue reading ‘Mediation Committee Compromise for Solar Feed-in Tariff Reduction’
A study by the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) on the potential of shale gas in Germany identifies shale gas deposits of between 6.8 trillion m3 and 22.6 trillion m3 gas in place. The median figure for gas in place is 13 trillion m³.
Continue reading ‘BGR Study on Shale Gas Deposits in Germany’
Statnett, the Norwegian Transmission System Operator (TSO), the German TSO Tennet and the state-owned German KfW Development Bank (KfW) have agreed to team up as equity partners in a project set up to develop and construct a subsea interconnector between Germany and Norway, with Statnett holding 50 %, KfW at least 25 % and the remaining interest held by Tennet, Statnett announced. Tennet said an agreement was being drafted and should be signed in September 2012. The company confirmed the involvement of KfW in the project it estimated to cost between EUR 1 billion to EUR 1.5 billion, but did not further specify the financial commitments of the partners. Tennet also said a second interconnector was planned at a later stage.
The NABEG advisory committee has been established. The committee consists of representatives of the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), the government and the federal states. It shall advise BNetzA on issues of fundamental importance relating to the “Federal Requirement Plan for Transmission Networks” (Bundesbedarfsplan Übertragungsnetze), federal planning for transmission networks and subsequent plan determination procedures.
Continue reading ‘Advisory Committee Grid Expansion Acceleration Act’
The National Electromobility Initiative (Nationale Plattform Elektromobilität – NPE) presented its third report on the progress reached in Germany with respect to the government’s goal of having one million electric cars on German roads by 2020. NPE and the competent ministries concluded that Germany was well under way in the market preparation stage, but still had a lot of work to do. The ministers emphasised that the government wanted to continue providing financial support for R&D.
As many readers will know, an amendment of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) with the aim to cut back solar feed-in tariffs was approved by Parliament in late March, but rejected by the Federal Council in May. The matter has been discussed in the Mediation Committee, but so far without a result. The next meeting of the Mediation Committee will take place on 27 June 2012. Should the EEG remain unchanged the following mid-year reduction of solar feed-in tariffs pursuant to the currently applicable EEG will take place.
Continue reading ‘Solar Feed-in Tariffs Cuts For 1 July 2012 If No New Agreement Will be Reached’
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Dr. Mutthias Leng Rechtsanwalt |
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Annute Leng Rachtsanwältin |
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