Overview
- The federal cabinet sent two bills to parliament on Wednesday to reform the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) and to better link new wind and solar build‑out to grid expansion.
- Under the draft EEG, new small rooftop photovoltaic systems would lose 20‑year fixed feed‑in payments, receive a shorter transitional subsidy of roughly three years, and be pushed toward direct marketing of their electricity.
- The accompanying grid, or 'net', package would steer new plants to areas with available network capacity and reduce some curtailment compensation for wind farms when operators must shut down for grid reasons.
- Industry groups and some politicians say the changes risk slowing renewables deployment, demand clearer sanctions and investment protections for grid operators, and warn technical systems for broad direct marketing are not yet ready.
- In response to the federal shift, Rhineland‑Palatinate’s Greens have drafted a state citizen‑energy law that would require municipal and citizen financial participation if voluntary deals fail and earmark revenue for climate and energy uses.