Remuneration requirement under EEG
The currently applicable statutory basis for the remuneration of fed-in electrical energy is the act for the expansion of renewable energies (EEG).
The purpose of this act is to enable the sustainable development of the energy supply in the interests of the climate and environmental protection, to reduce the cost of the energy supply for the public, including by taking into account long-term spillover effects, to save fossil fuels and promote the development of technologies to generate electricity from renewable energy sources.
Remuneration for renewable energy sources - fees
Operators of assets which use only renewable energies or methane have a claim against the grid operator to the market premium for electricity generated in these assets
- if they market the electricity directly and transfer to the network operator the right to label the electricity as "energy from renewable sources or methane" (sponsored direct marketing), or
- to feed-in remuneration if they make the electricity available to the network operator and providing they do not participate in the balancing market with this asset. Furthermore, asset operators are entitled to directly sell the electricity generated by their assets without utilising it (another form of direct marketing) or
- to the payment of the tenant electricity surcharge for electricity from solar systems with an installed capacity of up to 100 kilowatts in total, which are installed on or in a residential building, insofar as it has been delivered and consumed by the system operator or a third party to an end consumer.
Alternation between different methods of divestiture
Under Section 21b EEG 2017, asset operators may change between the following forms of divestiture for each plant and only on the first calendar day of the month:
- the market premium
- the feed-in remuneration, including in the form of a breakdown compensation fee
- another type of direct marketing
Market processes have to be established for feed-in points by the Federal Network Agency dated 29 January 2015 (BK14 – 110).
Registering or cancelling direct marketing or changing between different forms of divestiture has to be disclosed by the network operator by, at the latest, the start of the calendar month in which the change is to take place (e.g. registration by 31 March at the latest for direct marketing set to start on 1 May).
Please use the form provided below to register or cancel ("Registering changes in the balancing group") and email your completed form to us at einspeiser@stromnetz-berlin.de. Please attach your communication data sheet and the supplier's allocation authorisation to your application. Registration and cancellation can also be done via the electricity dealer, if they have been given power of attorney by the plant operator.
Registering EEG assets to the market master data register of the Federal Network Agency
Asset operators must include the following information in the market master data register:
- Information about the asset operator,
- The asset's location,
- The energy source used to generate the electricity,
- The installed capacity of the asset,
- Information on whether a financial subsidy is to be claimed for the energy generated in the asset.
The obligation to register also applies if the capacity for existing EEG assets changes.
Please send us a copy of the declaration of registration for the system and a written declaration that you have sent the registration to the Federal Network Agency as proof of registration of your EEG system with the Federal Network Agency.
Questions and answers
What is a photovoltaic plant (PV plant)?
A PV plant is an electricity generation plant. Solar energy is captured using solar cells and transformed into electrical energy.
How long does it take to process a connection application from a generation plant?
For plants up to 100 kW, please provide us with all the necessary information via our customer portal at least 8 weeks before installing the system. The processing, including the network compatibility check, takes place as quickly as possible. Due to a very high volume of inquiries, there are currently longer processing times. After the processing and examination have been completed, the applicant will receive an offer or a confirmation of the request made.
In the case of larger systems, we are required to carry out technical network tests, which may lead to network expansion. The processing time depends on the effort required.
Who should make the application to the grid operator to connect a generation plant?
The application can be made by the operator of the plant, but is generally made by its constructor.
Is an existing grid connection always used as a feed-in point?
There is a routine check to determine whether the plant can be incorporated into the relevant grid using an existing connection. If the grid compatibility check shows that the energy can be fed in at the existing connection, the plant operator will be notified. There are also checks to determine the conditions for accepting the energy into the distribution grid before a corresponding offer is made.
When will I receive payment?
After the generation plant has begun to operate, the feeder will submit the following documents to the grid operator:
- Operation initiation protocol signed by the plant's operator and constructor.
- Customer information leaflet (containing the plant operator's details)
- Proof of registration with the Federal Network Agency [Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA)].
- General environmental certification from an environmental certifier (in the case of biomass plants)
Payment will take place as soon as possible after all documentation has been received.
How much will I be paid?
Remuneration for a generation plant depends on the type of plant, the time at which it came into operation, the plant's performance and the marketing method. The remuneration terms in the Renewable Energies Act (EEG) valid at the time of the initiation of operations are used in the calculation.
Will I incur charges for meter replacement?
Stromnetz Berlin GmbH covers the cost of meter replacement.