Support levels for onshore wind energy and biomass to fall on 1 April 2016
Date of issue 2015.11.30
The Bundesnetzagentur has announced today that support for onshore wind energy plants will be reduced by 1.2% and biomass by 0.5% as of 1 April 2016
At 3,712 megawatts, the net expansion of onshore wind capacity is considerably above the upper limit of the deployment corridor. Should the net newly installed capacity for onshore wind energy installations fluctuate within the defined corridor of 2,400 to 2,600 megawatts, a reduction in the reference values of 0.4% per quarter in each case is provided for. This reduction is even greater if the newly installed capacity exceeds the upper limit of the deployment corridor. However, if new capacity undercuts the defined corridor, the reference values do not fall as sharply, remain the same or even rise.
Total newly installed capacity from biomass amounted to 67 megawatts. This figure was once again below the set deployment limit of 100 megawatts, above which support is further reduced in addition to the basic reduction of 0.5%.
According to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) 2014, the support level (reference value) for electricity produced by onshore wind energy and biomass power plants must be adjusted quarterly as of 2016. This adjustment is calculated based on real deployment figures in a past 12-month reference period. The reference period for onshore wind energy and biomass is always set further in the past than photovoltaic's reference period, making it possible for onshore wind energy and biomass reference values to be calculated and published earlier. The deployment figures for the period November 2014 to October 2015 were taken into account in the latest reference value level calculations.
Further information on reference values for onshore wind and biomass energy can be found on the Bundesnetzagentur's website: www.bundesnetzagentur.de/eeg-a.