Germany: The Green Party is calling for 600 hours of free solar power for everyone!
© Sven Giegold
At their federal delegates’ conference in Hanover at the end of November, the Greens passed several resolutions on energy and climate policy. Firstly, they adopted a plan for Energy Transition 2.0, comprising 50 measures designed to make the energy transition cheaper, more digital and more citizen-friendly. Secondly, they passed a motion for a social climate policy to support the ecological transformation of the economy. This was reported by Sven Giegold, the Greens’ deputy federal chairman. The party won just under 12 per cent of the vote in last year’s federal election and is currently in opposition.
Giegold described the »free solar power for all resolution passed in Hanover as a »groundbreaking new idea« from the Greens. According to the resolution, consumers would receive 600 hours of free solar power in the summer via a »solar bonus« to utilise unused surpluses. However, the resolution contains nothing more than this striking idea. It merely states that a »detailed concept« will be developed for this purpose. This concept is not new; at the beginning of November, Australia announced its »Solar Sharer programme, which will provide households with three hours of free solar power per day.
The Greens want to maintain the feed-in tariff for rooftop photovoltaic systems, but propose adjusting the remuneration rates moderately to reflect the lower costs. The aim is to ensure that citizen-owned solar projects remain economically viable in all regions and that roof space is utilised to its full potential. For ground-mounted systems, the Greens are focusing on a tender design that can limit lease costs, protect agricultural use and create ecological added value. This requires an EEG that complies with European law beyond 2026 and which focuses particularly on ecologically high-quality moorland and Agri-PV. In the short term, the Greens are focusing on contracts for difference for large PV systems and wind energy, which guarantee stable returns for investors but prevent excess profits at the expense of the general public.
We want to further develop the EEG so that it keeps pace with the energy transition and our goal of achieving 100 per cent renewable energy. The ambitious expansion targets and tender volumes, as well as the legal right to grid connection and priority feed-in for renewables, must be secured.«
© PHOTON
Report Sven Giegold
Resolution (preliminary) |
