Coalition agrees on last-minute change to wind-power auctions

A last-minute fix to the rules for onshore wind tenders is designed to ensure commercial projects posing as citizens’ initiatives don’t dominate the next rounds of auctions. The government fast-tracked the most pressing change to the system, to be passed by parliament on Thursday. The SPD-led environment ministry and CDU-led energy ministry were unable to settle differences over more far-reaching reform, with the SPD insisting any reform of renewables legislation must include the additional auctions promised in the coalition treaty. SPD energy expert Johann Saathoff said this week’s change to the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) sent an “important signal to the wind power sector, giving all stakeholders the security necessary for stable growth.”

Read CLEW dossiers on onshore wind power here and on the EEG here.