“Support in the doldrums”

The operation of thousands of wind turbines could become economically unviable once the first support period for renewable energy in Germany runs out in 2020, Michael Bauchmüller writes in Süddeutsche Zeitung. If the operators’ sales revenue in open competition stays at the current three cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), they won't be be able to cover running costs, Bauchmüller explains. According to industry association BWE, windmills with a combined generating capacity of up to 15 gigawatt (GW) might lose eligibility for support by 2023. Environmentalists call for a speedy coal phase-out in order to stabilise power prices, and prevent the decommissioning of low-carbon windmills, he writes. Others argue replacing old and inefficient turbines with modern ones under the new tender-regime was more suitable for an optimised land use, and call for increasing the current tender volume of 2.9 GW annually, he adds.

Read the article in German here.

For background, see the CLEW dossier The Reform of the Renewable Energy Act.