Germany has launched a 296.3 MW solar tender for rooftop or noise barrier installations
The bid price is capped at €0.10/kWh, slightly lower than last year’s €0.1040/kWh
Planned expansion of the tender limit to 2.3 GW in 2026 depends on European Commission approval; till then, the current rules will apply
The Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) of Germany has invited bids for a 296.3 MW solar PV capacity. This capacity will be installed on buildings or noise barriers.
To be awarded on a pay-as-bid basis, bids for this tender are capped at €0.10/kWh, which is lower than the previous year’s €0.1040/kWh. The agency revised the limit to enable broader participation in the tenders (see Germany Lowers Rooftop Solar, Wind Tender Price Caps for 2026).
Under Solar Package I, the government has proposed increasing the bid volume for this category to 2.3 GW for 2026, with a minimum project size of 751 kW. However, it is awaiting a green signal from the European Commission to clear the package under its state aid rules.
Until EU approval is in place, the minimum bid volume of 1,001 kW will remain in effect for 2026. The agency plans to tender 1.1 GW of solar capacity under this category in 2026, evenly distributed across 3 bid dates, subject to some adjustments.
Bids for this tender, launched on April 27, 2026, will need to be submitted by June 1, 2026.
In the 1st tender for solar on buildings and noise barriers on February 1, 2026, the agency tendered a capacity of 282.7 MW. The next one is scheduled for October 1, in which it plans to tender 296.3 MW.
The last auction for this category, dated October 1, 2025, was oversubscribed with 140 bids totaling 310 MW. It picked 121 winning bids to award 281 MW capacity (see Germany Awards 281 MW Under Rooftop Solar Auction).
Meanwhile, the German federal government is planning sweeping changes to its subsidy scheme under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). It proposes that, starting in 2027, there will be no fixed payments for rooftop solar systems with up to 25 kW of capacity; instead, homeowners and small businesses will be required to sell their solar power directly to the grid.
Currently, solar system owners receive a guaranteed payment of about €0.067 to €0.078 per kWh for 20 years for feeding excess power into the grid. If the market prices are low, the government covers the difference.
German solar PV association, BSW Solar, cites surveys by Fraunhofer ISE and YouGov of over 1,000 private property owners to argue that the proposed changes to the EEG will reduce demand for solar power systems. Earlier this year, the association, as part of a broad alliance of business and civil society organizations, urged the government to continue supporting rooftop solar (see German Alliance Urges Government To Keep Rooftop Solar Support).
