The Greens Party in Germany has proposed 600 hours of free summer solar power using surplus generation to improve system efficiency
The Solar Bonus is part of a 50-measure Energy Transition 2.0 plan aimed at a cheaper, digital, citizen-friendly shift
It backs rooftop solar, storage, and CfDs, calling for faster grid connections and fair fees for energy sharing
Germany’s Greens Party is proposing 600 hours of free solar power for all consumers, using surplus electricity generated in summer. This Solar Bonus plan forms part of the party’s new Energy Transition 2.0 package unveiled at its recent federal conference.
This package comprises a set of 50 measures aimed at making Germany’s energy shift cheaper, more digital, and more accessible to citizens. Deputy Federal Chairman of the party, Sven Giegold, highlighted the proposal for 600 hours of free solar power for everyone, calling it a groundbreaking idea. This, the party argues, will make the country’s electricity system more efficient by incentivizing all households to install dynamic electricity meters.
Presently, the Solar Bonus is just a proposal. The party said it will develop a detailed plan for it. However, it is not a novel idea. Australia, one of the world’s leading rooftop solar markets, has already announced it will offer 3 hours of free electricity daily to all, starting from July 2026 under a Solar Sharer program (see Australia To Offer Free Solar Power To All Households Starting July 2026).
One of the German opposition parties, the Greens Party bats for rooftop solar and contracts for difference (CfD) scheme to keep energy generation green and closer to consumption points, but wants the tariff rates to be moderately adjusted to reflect reduced costs. Citizen-owned solar projects must be economically viable in all regions, it recommends.
“Anyone wanting to install a solar system, charging station, or heat pump must be able to connect it quickly. Those who share energy with their neighbors in a way that benefits the grid should benefit from favorable grid fees,” according to the party.
Energy storage is also part of the resolutions passed, as the party believes ‘hundreds of gigawatts’ of grid connection requests for battery storage demonstrate that the technology is ready and the investors are prepared.
“Through the consistent expansion of wind and solar energy, electrification, the ramp-up of hydrogen production, and storage technologies, we can halve gas consumption. Only in this way can we end our dependence on expensive LNG imports from the USA and autocratic states,” it adds.
The Energy Transition 2.0 plan of the Greens Party is available in German on its website. It follows the German coalition government’s call for an ‘honest assessment’ of the country’s renewable energy and electricity market, even though the 215 GW solar PV target for 2030 remains in place, as it contemplates an end to fixed feed-in tariffs (FIT) (see Germany Releases Energy Transition Monitoring Report).