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The amendments of the PV feed-in tariffs of the German law on renewable energy have been concluded on Tuesday, marking a change of position vis-à-vis the roof segment.

The Bundesrat (second chamber of German parliament) approved the amendments, paving the way of legislation. The changes leave the facility on cropland fields and increase the attractiveness of the premium on the consumption owner for facilities roofs of small and medium sizes.

Set up and becoming effective retroactively from July 1, rates will be reduced purchase rate of 13% for installations and roof will be waived for facilities on cropland fields. Simultaneously, the surfaces of conversion will be reduced by 8% and all other surfaces will be reduced by 12%. From 1 October, the rate will again be reduced by 3% extra. Nevertheless, the new rates will be very interesting, with forward rates ranging from 25.02 to 34.05 of EurCE / kWh for installations in places between July 1 and October 1, and 24.26 to 33.03 EurCE / kWh for installations connected during the remainder of the year. The new amendments are also more than double the federal goal of annual installed capacity of 2.5 to 3.5 GWP (global warming potential).

Established 10 years ago, the law requires electric companies, they are the purchase of renewable energy systems to homeowners at a rate corresponding redemption fee for 20 years, guaranteeing repayment attractive yields high. Higher incomes may also be provided using the “premium on consumption owner”, which is paid to owners of facilities with roofing systems under 500 kWp and who intend to use the energy that they generate.

In 2009, PV had multiple 3.8 GWp, which once again Germany’s largest PV market in the world. Germany was home to about half of newly installed modules worldwide. For 2010, some experts predict that the threshold obtained in 2009 could double that market.

A growing demand from private users

The changes in legislation on renewable energies represent a response to growing price competition of PV systems, including the recent fall in the price of solar panels and compounds. These developments have created a number of new market opportunities for PV companies. This change of position for the roofing segment is expected to further increase the demand represented by the facilities from private users who prefer unanimously systems of high quality. The changes also lead to a growing demand for energy storage systems and applications “smart grid” (intelligent networks) to take full advantage of the premium on the consumption owner. Declining system prices and rising electricity prices have allowed the German market to adopt a parity grid sooner than expected. By 2013, energy from renewable sources should be competitive with traditional energy sources on the electricity market private users.

A segment of quality that boosted the attractiveness of local production

In Germany, manufacturers not only have easy access to a vast and growing market, but they also enjoy a significant competitive advantage through the presence and reputation of local brands offering high quality products, which is popular with private users within the segment and roofs. The German PV industry also benefits from the density of R & D institutes of the highest in the industry. In addition, the country can boast of a well established industrial infrastructure, an extensive database of supply of equipment and a skilled workforce and experienced.

Confirming the confidence in the power of the entire photovoltaic German, international business and Avancis First Solar, as the German PV companies and Juwi SolarWorld, have announced major developments in Germany in recent weeks. All these new investments involve sites in East Germany, a center of activity for major manufacturers of photovoltaic German industry of world renown.