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Protest Campaign Grows Over Plan to End Germany’s Rooftop Solar Tariff

Solar installers have launched letter-writing campaigns to pressure lawmakers with a key Energiewende monitoring report due at the end of August.

Overview

  • Economics Minister Katherina Reiche has formally proposed ending the 20-year feed-in tariff for new small rooftop PV systems, saying they are now economically viable without subsidies.
  • Existing installations would be grandfathered, but new systems must include storage capacity and market-ready features to help integrate with the grid.
  • Regensburg-based firm Enerix has circulated a template urging staff, installers and households to write to Reiche and regional MPs, warning that cutting subsidies risks order cancellations and job losses.
  • The Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft cautions that abolishing the tariff would also remove VAT exemptions, hiking upfront costs by about 19 percent and slowing solar deployment.
  • A government Energiewende monitoring report due by the end of August is expected to shape any formal legislation on renewables support, grid financing and market-integration requirements.