The "brake on electricity price" action proposed by German Environment Minister Peter Altmaier seems to be off the table. An energy summit of federal and state representatives at the chancellery brought no end-solution. Further negotiations are called for.
There will be no cuts in the EEG for existing PV installations, according to Merkel.
Flickr/World Economic Forum "There will be no cuts in the EEG for existing installations," were the words of German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) as she started to lead the discussion over electricity prices. She had met for several hours with the ministers before announcing this.
Schleswig-Holstein State Minister Thorsten Albig (SPD) welcomed this clear commitment from
the Chancellor. After all, this statement is important for the many already-installed PV systems in Germany. It is not sun and wind that are expensive, but the system is apparently wrong, Albig added.
It is anyone's guess whether the changes to the EEG will apply in August or prior to the upcoming elections. Chief of Staff of the German Chancellery Ronald Pofalla has been designated the position of negotiating with the state representatives. Another summit has been planned for May.
Merkel said that until then it would make sense to evaluate the savings that can be made with
regards to energy-intensive companies. New EEG installations also have to be observed. This
applies especially to wind power. The PV sector will remain outside of this observation for the
moment thanks to the many cuts it has already faced.
Merkel and the state leaders were united in stating that there has to be a fundamental reform in the EEG. This is to be addressed in a structured manner after the elections. Thuringia's head Christine Lieberknecht (CDU) called the summit another "further milestone" after the meeting. The energy revolution on the federal and state levels is apparently in the right hands and on the right track.
