Demand For ‘Sun Package’ In Germany

• German parliamentary group has issued a list of recommendations to the government to speed up solar installations
• Measures suggested are aimed at providing regulatory simplification of stringent and time-consuming rules
• The group also wants the challenge of shortage of skilled labor to be counteracted by creating training and apprenticeship opportunities

The parliamentary group in German Parliament Bundestag, comprising both CDU and CSU parties, has proposed the latter to clear what is terms a 'Sun Package' through which regulatory and permitting processes can be simplified for faster expansion of solar power capacity in the country.

A 20-point demand proposal submitted is aimed at increasing state support for solar PV installations via relaxing procedural grounds, expanding the use of available space and financing. For instance, the group wants tender limit to be increased from 20 MW now to 30 MW under EEG.

They recommend the government to create a new tender segment to establish agrivoltaic systems on agricultural and horticultural land of up to 5 hectares.  At the same time, parking lots and areas along motorways and railway lines to be used for solar installations. Pilot project should also be set up to cover sections of highways with PV panels.

Another demand is for the government to counteract lack of skilled labor by leveraging available domestic potential by creating training and apprenticeship opportunities.

Some of the other demands include the following measures:

• Network operators to stop stringent statutory requirements for solar certifications for a limited period of time.
• Registration procedure for new PV systems to be simplified to increase its acceptance among general populace.
• KfW loans for solar PV and storage systems to be offered at 'significantly discounted rates'.
• Encourage the use of innovative concepts as floating solar on artificial and significantly modified water bodies to avoid land use conflicts.
• Create a separate tender segment for agrivoltaic projects to enable their construction on agricultural and horticultural land of up to 5 hectares.
• Bring in necessary modifications in model building regulations.
• Further reduce regulatory hurdles for tenant electricity models under EEG regime and extend it to non-residential buildings.
• Simplified conditions to be created for homeowners associations for solar system purchase.
• Bring in uniform quality standard for balcony PV and encourage tenants to use electricity generated on site in lieu of financial benefits.
• Increase the use of lignite opencast mines by speeding up planning of renewable energy systems for these locations.
• Modernize monuments with solar installations, if feasible, to ensure these contribute to climate protection.
• Support research work in latest solar technologies with focus on energy efficiency and storage technologies to bring these to the market.
• Back efforts to establish local vertically integrated PV manufacturing with financial instruments, including from the European Union (EU) and also a collaboration with France for the Upper Rhine region.
• Incorporate sustainability criteria under EEG in the public procurement process.

Of the above, some of the recommendations are already among measures included by the German Economy and Climate Ministry (BMWK) in its draft PV Strategy which was open for public consultation till March 24, 2023 (see Germany Invites Public Consultation For PV Strategy).

Speaking of sustainability, TaiyangNews recently concluded our 1^st Solar and Sustainability Virtual Conference on March 30, 2023 where PV industry stakeholders listed the measures they are adopting and plan to incorporate to comply with truly sustainable practices (see TaiyangNews Solar & Sustainability Conference).