In addition to many simplifications for operators of balcony power plants, private PV systems or shared solar systems in apartment buildings up to 30 kWp, the Solar package I also lead to improvements and simplifications in commercial photovoltaic systems for companies lead. With this measure, the BMWK aims to further increase the high expansion momentum and reduce previous obstacles in order to achieve the ambitious expansion target. A total of 215 gigawatts of PV capacity is to be installed in Germany by 2030.
Changes to take effect from 2024
The draft bill for Solar Package I was actually supposed to be passed by the Federal Cabinet before the summer break in 2023. However, this failed because the corresponding cabinet bill had not yet been finalized. The "Draft Act to Increase the Expansion of Photovoltaic Energy Generation", as Solar Package I is officially called, provides for a further amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). The regulations take effect from 2024 and will need to be fleshed out further in the coming months.
Specifically, Solar Package I provides the following for companies:
By 2030, Germany should Solar parks and Agri-PV systems with a total capacity of 80 GW can be installed. To this end, the complex approval procedures are being relaxed and a Opt-out rule. This means that planning permission for areas intended for photovoltaic use will be granted more quickly. This should apply if this has not been expressly objected to beforehand. This also applies to areas where access is only possible via third parties. Changes and Extensions to the right of way for renewable energy systems are already being coordinated. In addition, the so-called area backdrop which, for example, previously only allowed accelerated procedures for planned ground-mounted systems within 200 meters of railroad lines or freeways. In order to increase the attractiveness of Agri-PV for agriculture, the Feed-in tariff for such systems raised. The respective state governments are required to control the expansion of solar parks and agri-PV systems and can also put the brakes on projects if they exceed the expansion target.
The Solar package I also provides companies with a Less complicated repowering of existing rooftop systems and for new PV systems, the Simplified grid connection procedure take effect more often. The acceleration of approvals is to be achieved through so-called practical checks, as 50 bureaucratic hurdles have already been identified that are massively hampering the current expansion of PV. The individual steps to reduce bureaucracy in the approval process and speed up access to the electricity grids will be further elaborated. This also applies to funding offers, which are also to be accelerated in future.