German energy min wants industry to pay higher levy on self-generation - report

Jun 6, 2014 - German energy minister Sigmar Gabriel plans to increase the surcharge for the industry for self-produced green power to 50% of the levy paid by consumers from the envisaged 15%, German daily newspaper Handelsblatt said on Thursday.

Gabriel wants the industry to be more involved in the cost of the energy transition than originally planned, Handelsblatt said citing a letter from Gabriel to the heads of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the ruling coalition.

The proposal is part of the forthcoming reform to the Renewable Energy Act (EEG), under which energy-intensive companies are to pay only 15% of the levy for electricity generated from their own renewable power plants. The levy under the EEG currently stands at EUR 0.0624 (USD 0.0851) per kWh.

Existing and replaced green power installations will continue to be exempted from the EEG apportionment, according to Gabriel's proposal.

The introduction of the levy on self-produced green power for consumers, as part of the reform, has been heavily criticised by German solar power associations and companies. The amendment to the EEG is currently in its final voting stage between the parliamentary groups and is scheduled to become effective as of August 1.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.363)

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