BEE Announces Call for Proposals for Energy Sharing Initiatives

Despite the European Union's mandate for comprehensive energy sharing, Germany has yet to implement these regulations into national law. The EU's Renewable Energy Directive, established in 2019, outlines that regional electricity consumers, including private households, municipalities, and small businesses, should be able to form citizen energy companies to jointly operate renewable energy plants. This model was intended to be integrated by mid-2021. While countries like Austria have already adopted this model, Germany has lagged behind.

The current coalition government, comprising the SPD, Greens, and FDP, has not yet incorporated energy sharing into national legislation. The German Renewable Energy Association (BEE) notes that, although the Bundestag has been urging the federal government to introduce energy sharing proposals since July 2022, there has been no progress. While the "Solar Package 1" addresses community supply, it does not fully align with EU requirements for energy sharing.

In response, the BEE, along with the Citizens' Energy Alliance, the DGRV, and other partners, has developed a detailed model for implementing energy sharing. BEE President Simone Peter emphasized the need for the federal government to review and act on their proposals. The proposed model includes continuing the market premium for renewable energy systems to support the community supply model's financial viability. Additionally, the model suggests covering the initial costs incurred by the participating companies through an energy sharing premium, which would be paid to citizen energy companies for each kilowatt-hour directly consumed.

The BEE's proposals align with successful models in other EU countries, such as Austria, and have already received approval from the EU Commission under state aid law. Peter called on the federal government to address this critical issue, ensuring that energy sharing becomes a viable option for broad public participation in Germany’s energy transition