Germany's solar power capacity approaching 52 GW support cap, industry warns

Germany’s solar power capacity is set to exceed the official cap for guaranteed remuneration of 52 gigawatts (GW) in a few months’ time, the head of solar industry association BSW Solar, told news agency dpa in an article carried by Handelsblatt Online. As of late 2018, Germany had 45.9 GW of solar capacity, with another 4 GW expected this year. Under Germany’s 2012 Renewable Energy Act, caps have been set on the volume of renewable power eligible for the support payments made through the renewables surcharge, which customers pay with their power bill. BSW Solar head Carsten Körnig said the solar cap could no longer be sustained and called for a legal solution to prevent the “brakes being slammed” on support for solar power. The cost of solar power installations has fallen significantly but investors still need incentives to expand generation and meet climate targets, Körnig said. 

Germany is among the world’s top solar power producing countries. In June, solar became the country’s biggest source of power, covering 19 percent of demand. But critics say the country lacks a political strategy to ensure that solar power continues to expand smoothly.