What is a „citizens’ solar
facility“?
There are two kinds of solar facilities:
- A thermal facility heats water. This kind of facility has a relatively small collector surface and can therefore be installed at low cost on a private roof.
- A photo-voltaic facility produces electricity. This kind of facility requires a certain amount of surface are to be economically feasible, that is, they are often to large and expensive for a private individual.
Then came the idea of a „citizens’ solar facility“. Environmentally conscious citizens get together, invest in one or more shares of a community solar facility according to their financial possibilities and start a community company (GbR).
Their participation in a „citizens’ solar facility“ helps them afford their personal contribution to a sustainable energy system.
So far, the Solar Group Berlin e.V. has overseen four citizens’ solar facilities in Berlin and three in Brandenburg.
This is an example of a citizens’ solar facility in Berlin:
size: 30 kWp
expected electricity production: ca. 25,500 to 30,000 kWh per year
expected return: ca. € 14,500 to € 17.200 per year
on-line inception date: 6 Dec 2004
managing group: „Bürger-Solar Berlin 3 GbR“ (Community Company Citizens’ Solar Berlin 3)
investment: € 80,000 from 46 share holders, minimum investment € 500, maximum allowable investment € 10,000.
financing: € 80,000 in shares, € 60.000 loan from the Umweltbank.
The advantage of partial loan financing for the share holders is a higher return on investment because revenues are distributed among fewer participants.
The advantage of partial loan financing for the Solar Group Berlin is the construction of more solar facilities in a given time. The portion of electricity from renewable resources in Berlin can increase more quickly.
location: roof of the High School for Technical Computer Schience, Industrial Electronics and Energy Management in Berliln Spandau.
land lord: Berlin Senate Administration for Youth, Education and Culture.
It’s possible to make money running a photo-voltaic facility in Germany because of the Renewable Energy Law – EEG
(The original version can be found in the Bundesgesetzblatt year 2004, part 1, nr. 40 from 31 July 2004 and the initial discussion can be read in document 15/2864 of the German Parlament, 15th legislative period, pg. 20-55.)
The EEG was passed by Parlament on 25 Feb 2000 and became law on 1 Apr 2000.
Since then, it has promoted the production of energy from renewable sources: hydro-electric power, wind power, bio-mass, thermal power, solar power and geo-thermal power.
The EEG requires power companies to give preferential treatment to and to pay a fixed minimum price for electricity from renewable energy sources. This price depends on the kind of energy, the size of the facility and, for wind energy, on the location.
The EEG fixes the period of return at 20 years maximum and thus creates secure conditions for investment in the energy sector. It has helped cause a boom, especially in wind power.
It replaced the electricity networking law from 1991 that had already helped the wind power industry to find its market breakthrough in the late 90’s. It was intended to support the spread of solar power with its increased electricity networking prices.
An federal increase of 0.35 cents per kilowatt hour for all electricity customers (2004) finances this support.
The law’s purpose is determined by the following essential criteria:
• to enable the sustainable development of energy production with climate, nature and environmental protection in mind,
• to reduce the economic costs of energy production by also considering long-term external effects,
• to protect nature and the environment,
• to help avoid conflicts about fossile resources,
• to promote technological development especially for electricity from renewable energy sources.
The law’s goal is to increase the percentage of renewable energy sources in electricity production to at least 12.5% by 2010 and 20% by 2020.
The new EEG sets the return for electricity from individual renewable sources in §§ 6 to 11.
A period of return is guaranteed for 20 years.
Apparantly the investment costs for photo-voltaic facilities will sink in the next few years and electricity networking prices will also sink according to the date when the facility is built (reduction of 5% per year).
This means that facilities built in 2004 command higher prices for 20 years that those built later.
Here are examples of the networking price for electricity produced by photo-voltaic facilities built in 2004:
• free-standing facility 45.7 cents/kWh
• roof surfaces up to 30 kWp 57.4 cents/kWh
• roof surfaces less than 100 kWp 54.0 cents/kWh
• fassade surfaces up to 30 kWp 62.4 cents/kWh
Further regulations in the EEG:
The managing group is responsible for on-line connection costs.
The power company pays for any network development costs. These costs may be added to network usage costs.
A federal distribution regulation sets how cost increases are distributed regionally.
Double marketing is prohibited: Electricity from renewable sources and networked bio-gas may only be paid for with EEG price returns.
The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Protection and Reactor Security (BMU) may establish a regulating panel to settle conflicts.
Status report: The BMU will publish a report initially on 31 Dec 2007 and subsequently every four years that documents the status of the market introduction of facilities for the production of electricity from renewable resources as well as the development of electricity costs in such facilities. It will also be possible to make recommendations for the adjustment of reduction rates in energy prices in accordance with technological and economic developments.
Transitional regulations set various (practically all imaginable) conditions and energy prices for previous and new facilities.
Übersetzt von Kai Henderson