星期四, 7 8 月, 2025
Home PV News COVID-19 pushes German solar sector to request delay to grid-connection deadlines

COVID-19 pushes German solar sector to request delay to grid-connection deadlines

Large solar parks awarded contracts under Germany’s tender scheme could lose funding if not brought online on time. The nation’s solar trade body believes the government should quadruple its annual PV deployment target despite an anticipated coronavirus-related hiatus in roll-out.

Source:pv magazine

The German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar) expects the unfolding COVID-19pandemic to cause delays to the planning and completion of large photovoltaic projects – an outcome which could hit solar developers in the pocket.

Large scale projects secured under the national tendering scheme for facilities with a generation capacity of more than 750 kW must be connected to the grid within two years to qualify for incentives but with COVID-19 wreaking havoc with component supply chains and personnel, BSW-Solar has called for an extension to such deadlines.

The association said the federal government should only impose fines for late commissioning of projects in the event of lengthy delays. Under the terms of German renewable energy law the EEG, developers must accept a €0.003/kWh cut in the solar electricity purchase price tariff agreed for their projects if they are not delivered within 18 months of the contract being signed, or if they opt to construct plants in different locations.

Force majeure

“Such circumstances of force majeure must not lead to valuable climate protection projects failing, with their existence being threatened,” said BSW-Solar general manager Carsten Körnig. “We hope that legislators will quickly remedy this.”

Despite the likelihood of Germany following the lead of other EU member states by imposing strict COVID-19 containment measures, the BSW-Solar has called on Berlin to quadruple the annual new solar generation capacity target to 10 GW, based on the theory investors will maintain strong interest in PV and ensure solar tenders continue to be heavily oversubscribed.

“A stronger solarization of the energy supply is not only overdue in terms of climate policy,” said Körnig. “It would also be a welcome economic engine for small and medium-sized businesses in the double-digit-billion [euro] range in the next three years alone.”

With the appetite for onshore wind farms fading, energy analysts have suggested solar will have to pick up the slack with Germany having timetabled a shutdown of its coal-fired and nuclear energy capacity.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

- Advertisment -

Most Popular

Plans lodged for solar farm to power 18,000 homes

Plans have been lodged for a solar farm and battery energy storage system in Derbyshire. Noventum Power has submitted an application to South Derbyshire District...

Turkish firm to invest $520M in solar equipment production

Turkish solar technology company CW Enerji will invest $520 million (TL 21.09 billion) under the government's HIT-30 incentive program to expand its high-efficiency solar...

Tesla is set to build its biggest energy storage facility in China

Tesla, China Kangfu International Leasing, and the Shanghai Municipal Government signed a cooperation agreement to build an energy storage power station, which will become...

Sungrow launches next-gen hybrid residential energy storage system

China renewable energy solutions company Sungrow Power has revealed its newest hybrid next generation residential energy storage system (ESS), with its the latest in...