“Renewables surcharge to increase by about 8 percent”

Germany’s renewables surcharge is to rise from 6.35 cents per kilowatt-hour (ct/kWh) to 6.88 ct/kWh next year, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) learned from grid operator sources. The 8 percent increase would be less than predicted by experts. This is because existing savings on Germany's 'green energy account' would be used to finance renewable development in the election year 2017, writes Andreas Mihm. A regular three-person household would pay about 18 euros more per year because of the increase, writes Mihm.
The so-called Renewable Energy Act (EEG) surcharge covers the difference between the wholesale market price for power on the electricity exchange and the higher fixed remuneration rate for renewable energies. It is paid by consumers with their power bill. Grid operators are set to officially publish next year’s renewables surcharge on Friday.

Find a short online version of the article in German here.

Read more about the new surcharge in the CLEW article Germany’s renewables surcharge to rise less than expected - report.

For background, read the CLEW factsheet Balancing the books: Germany's "green energy account" and the recent CLEW article Renewable energy levy set to rise in 2017 – think tank.