Strong support for renewables in Germany despite policy change

More than two-thirds of Germans expect the government to accelerate the expansion of renewable energy, according to a survey cited by the German Solar Industry Association (BSW).

Some 68% of eligible voters want the government to reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports by expanding renewables, the association said, citing a representative poll conducted by YouGov in late March.

Around 78% of respondents view Germany's reliance on energy imports as a threat, the association added, an issue that has received renewed attention amid the war in Iran.

The industry group said renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power strengthen the resilience of the energy system and help sustainably lower electricity prices for consumers.

It warned that government plans to scale back support for solar installations and restrict grid access for solar and wind projects from 2027 would run counter to public sentiment and could prolong reliance on fossil fuel imports.

The Economy Ministry is preparing cuts to solar subsidies, according to a draft amendment to the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) dated January 22. The proposal would end support for new small-scale solar power systems.

It also aims to better align the expansion of wind and solar capacity with grid development.

As more and more energy produced from renewable sources is fed into the grid, wind and solar installations are sometimes curtailed to avoid overload, meaning that their output is throttled or switched off - a process known as redispatch.

Operators are entitled to compensation, which costs billions every year.

In a reform of current rules, the ministry plans to exempt new connections to certain parts of the grid known to be particularly strained from compensation in the event of a redispatch.