BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - More than two-thirds of German citizens expect an accelerated expansion of renewable energies, according to the solar industry. A survey commissioned by the German Solar Association (BSW-Solar) revealed that 68 percent of eligible voters want "the federal government to reduce dependence on oil and natural gas imports through the increased use of renewable energies and storage." Furthermore, 78 percent of respondents perceive Germany's heavy reliance on energy imports as a threat, the association reported, citing a representative YouGov poll conducted in late March.
Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power enhance the resilience of the energy system and ensure "sustainably lower electricity prices for all consumers," stated Carsten Körnig, Managing Director of the association. Körnig argued that plans by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs to drastically cut subsidies for solar power systems and restrict grid access for solar and wind plants starting in 2027 run counter to the clear will of the people. The Berlin proposals would significantly prolong dependence on natural gas and oil imports. "This would come at a high cost to the German economy and the general public," Körnig warned.
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs is planning cuts to solar subsidies. According to a working draft for an amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) dated January 22, funding for new, small-scale solar installations is to be discontinued.
In addition, the expansion of wind and solar plants is to be better aligned with the lagging grid expansion. A particularly controversial point in the draft is the "redispatch proviso": under this provision, areas where the curtailment of renewable energy exceeded three percent in the previous year could be designated as "capacity-limited" for up to ten years. To avoid grid bottlenecks, wind and solar plants are frequently subject to curtailment, where their output is throttled or shut down. These interventions are known as redispatch./kf/DP/zb
