Overview
- The law, which takes effect on June 1, 2026, creates Energiegemeinschaften that let PV owners virtually sell or share surplus solar power with neighbors.
- Participation requires smart meters in each household, a central digital accounting platform, and supply contracts with quarter‑hourly settlement.
- Sharing is initially limited to participants inside the same distribution grid area and cross‑grid exchanges are planned from 2028.
- Germany keeps standard net charges and levies for locally traded electricity, which analysts say will make most small systems uneconomic compared with Austria’s reduced fees.
- Experts expect mainly pilot projects in 2026–2028 and wider uptake only if net‑charge reforms and a broader smart‑meter rollout accelerate adoption around 2029, with larger rooftop systems and housing providers likely to benefit first.