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New policy reforms could shrink Germany’s solar market – with David Wortmann and Salomé Perperot
The smarter E PodcastShow Notes
Germany helped pioneer the political frameworks that made solar a global success. But with daytime electricity prices falling, solar companies under pressure, and significant policy reforms taking shape, could the impressive solar and battery installation rates of recent years slow dramatically?
This week, host Jonathan Gifford speaks with David Wortmann, founder and CEO of Berlin-based consultancy DWR eco, about the proposed overhaul of Germany’s Renewable Energy Act (EEG). The reforms could fundamentally change the financial returns that solar projects can deliver, with support for residential and commercial rooftops set to shrink. But it’s not all one way; utility-scale tender volumes under the same reforms are likely to increase.
Wortmann argues that the main concern may be the speed of the reforms. As solar businesses are pushed towards self-consumption and market-based revenues, it appears that some are struggling to adapt. He discusses whether Germany can strike the right balance between rooftop and utility-scale solar without jeopardizing the country’s stated renewable-energy ambitions.
But as growing solar generation causes intraday power price spreads to grow, there are attractive opportunities for another technology: battery energy storage.
Recorded at the unveiling of a new battery manufacturing facility near Izmir, Turkey, Jonathan speaks with Salomé Perperot, senior consultant at Clean Horizon, about Europe's evolving battery storage economics. As lucrative ancillary service revenues give way to merchant trading opportunities, Perperot explains which markets look most attractive, and why securing even a small share of guaranteed revenue can be crucial to getting battery projects financed.
As both of these conversations demonstrate, generating more renewable electricity is only part of the challenge – the next test is finding the market structures, contracts, and policy settings that make it work.
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