German state makes PV panels obligatory for new non-residential buildings
pv magazine
The southwestern German state of Baden-Württemberg is making photovoltaic panels obligatory for all newly built non-residential buildings, writes Petra Hannen in pv magazine. The mandate comes as part of a climate protection law approved by the governing state coalition between the Greens and the conservative Christian Democratic Party (CDU). The regulation will apply to buildings built from 2022, the report notes. “This will modernise construction procedures in general and make climate action a matter of course,” said Franz Untersteller, the state’s environment minister. The city-state of Hamburg passed a similar mandate but it will not go into effect until 2023.
Under Germany’s current plans, renewable sources will supply 65 percent of electricity by 2030, with installed photovoltaic capacity providing 66 gigawatts. Total photovoltaic capacity currently stands at about 51 gigawatts. As solar panels and other renewable energy installations increasingly dominate the German power mix, questions about their spatial needs are becoming louder. However, especially with regard to solar PV, analyses have found that many of Germany's biggest cities are squandering vast renewable energy generation potential by leaving their rooftops empty.
