The amendment of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) provides for a register of installations for the purpose of increasing transparency and simplifying the nation-wide equalisation mechanism. Ecologic is supporting the German Federal Ministry for the Environment in answering the legal questions in this context. The observation and analysis of the revision of the German energy laws under the viewpoint of its impacts on the promotion of renewable energies ist another main focus of this project.

International Conference for Renewable Energies (renewables 2004)

Government delegates from 154 countries adopted the Political Declaration of renewables 2004. The declaration contains definitions of common political objectives for promoting the role of renewable energies. The delegates acknowledge that renewable energies combined with enhanced energy efficiency, can significantly contribute to sustainable development, to providing access to energy, especially for the poor, to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, reducing harmful air pollutants, thereby creating new economic opportunities, and enhancing energy security through cooperation and collabration. In the International Action Programme, governments, international organisations and stakeholders have committed to concrete activities that are geared towards the increased use of renewable energies. Germany has committed to increase the percentage of renewable energy sources in power supply to at least 20 % by 2020 through the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG).

EC-Directive on the promotion of renewable energies

The Directive 2001/77/EC on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market aims at increasing the share of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in total Community electricity consumption to 22 % by 2010. According to the Directive Member States shall take appropriate steps to encourage greater consumption of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in conformity with the national indicative targets. The Directive does not specify how Member States shall achieve these targets; the different mechanisms of support for renewable energy sources at the national level remain unchanged. According to the Directive Member States shall ensure that the origin of electricity produced from renewable energy sources can be guaranteed as such within the meaning of this Directive according to objective, transparent and non-discriminatory criteria laid down by each Member State. The Directive also commits the Member States to report on the progression of the expansion of renewable energies, in order to assess best practices with a view to achieving the objectives under this Directive.

Renewable Energy Sources Act

The amendment of the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) entered into force on 1 August 2004. It differs from the original text in many points, bringing clarification or introducing new provisions. The basic system however - i.e. compulsory and priority connections of plants generating electricity from renewable energy sources, and compulsory and priority purchase and transmission of, and payment for such electricity - remains unchanged. Several articles reinforce consumer protection and aim at increasing
transparency and reducing the costs inherent to the system. One of these regulations provides for a public register of plants generating electricity from renewable sources.

Register of installations

The purpose of the register is to provide an overview on the expansion of plants which use renewable energy, and to create more transparency, in particular as regards the origins of costs. Additionally, it aims at simplifying the nation-wide equalisation scheme. Ecologic is supporting the German Federal Ministry for the Environment to answer all related legal questions.