“Cabinet approves important energy policy projects”
The federal cabinet today decided on reform drafts for two energy policy projects:
The law regulating state support for combined heat and power (CHP) plants will be changed to include tenders for CHP facilities with a capacity of 1-50 megawatts, according to a press release by Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).
Changes to the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) mean that power produced for self-consumption from old facilities will continue to be exempt from the renewables surcharge, while a reduced amount would have to be paid in case of modernised facilities. Electricity from new fossil-fuel-powered facilities – even if used for self-consumption – will be charged with the full renewable surcharge.
The changes to the relevant legislation became necessary after the federal government had struck a deal with the EU Commission on state-aid related aspects of Germany’s new power market law and other energy policy issues. The economy ministry plans the reformed legislation to be enacted by 1 January 2017.
Read the press release in German and the legislation draft in German .
For background read the ÍţÁ¦˛ĘÍć·¨ article Agreement with EU Commission clears way for German power market reform.