Both the Ministries of Environment and Economics have already agreed on the changes to be made to Germanys solar subsidies, according to Reuters and Handelsblatt Online.
Included in the changes is an over 30 percent reduction in the feed-in tariffs (FITs) for certain photovoltaic installations, including solar parks, say the media reports, which cite information from government and industry sources. Meanwhile, a cut of 20 percent has been suggested for small rooftop photovoltaic installations and, according to Reuters, a cut of 25 percent for mid-sized systems.
It is also planned that the tariff changes will come into effect on April 1, instead of the original July 1 date. Additionally, the cuts are expected to be more than 15 percent, and guaranteed payment will be limited to 90 percent. Beyond this amount, the solar energy can then be sold on by the plant operator. Thus, the cuts are deeper.
Environment Minister, Norbet Röttgen (CDU) and Minister of Economics, Philipp Rösler will present their plans tomorrow, Thursday, February 23, at noon in Berlin. In an initial statement, Germanys solar industry association, BSW-Solar, has said it is worried about the outcome, based on the media reports.
"Additional cuts in the order of 20 to 30 percent are not manageable and will slow the development of solar energy," said the statement. "Against the background of the recently adopted energy policy, the proposed cuts are proof that the government is not serious about the development of renewable energies."
Translated by Becky Stuart.
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