Renewable Energy Sources (EEG)

Implementation of the Act on Granting Priority to Renewable Energy Sources (EEG)

The purpose of the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) is to promote electricity generated from hydropower, landfill gas, mine gas, sewage gas, biomass, geothermal energy, wind power and solar radiation energy. The local system operator who is obliged to purchase this electricity under the Renewable Energy Act pays a legally stipulated minimum compensation for the electricity fed into the grid or a market premium, depending on the type of generating plant and the year of plant commissioning.

Renewable energy financing since 2023

The EEG levy was abolished by law with effect from 01st January 2023. Now the promotion of renewable energies are financed by federal budget. The transmission system operators (TSOs) publish the renewable energy financing requirement annually by 25th October of a calendar year for the upcoming calendar year as well as the anticipated amount of the compensation claim for the current year on the common internet portal of German TSO’s  www.netztransparenz.de.

According to Renewable Energy Act, transmission system operators are obligated to prepare and publish on  www.netztransparenz.de an outlook for the development of the expansion of renewable energy in the following five calendar years by 25 October of a calendar year.

Renewable energy levy from 2010 until 2022

According to the German Equalisation Mechanism Ordinance (EEV) and Renewable Energy Act (EEG), end users were charged by a standard nationwide renewable energy levy until the end of 2022. This levy was published by TSOs for the following year by 15th October of each year.

Further details can be found on the  website, run jointly by the German TSOs.

Renewable energy levy from 2010 until 2022

Year Renewable energy levy
2022 3.723 ct/kWh *
2021 6.500 ct/kWh
2020 6.756 ct/kWh
2019 6.405 ct/kWh
2018 6.792 ct/kWh
2017 6.880 ct/kWh
2016 6.354 ct/kWh
2015 6.170 ct/kWh
2014 6.240 ct/kWh
2013 5.277 ct/kWh
2012 3.592 ct/kWh
2011 3.530 ct/kWh
2010 2.047 ct/kWh

* listed is the full renewable energy levy determined for 2022 as of October 15, 2021. For the second half of 2022, the levy was set to 0.000 ct/kWh in accordance with §61 Para. 1a EEG (as amended in 2022). Further details on the imputed total annual levy 2022 can be found on the common internet portal of German TSO’s.

Further information:

 Text of the Renewable Energy Act (online offer by the Federal Ministry of Justice)

For further information on the Renewable Energy Act visit the pages of the Federal Association of the German Energy and Water Industries ( Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e.V./ BDEW).

The Federal Association of the German Energy and Water Industries (Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e.V. / BDEW) published a procedural description to establish a standard national procedure for handling and implementing the act, including official material.

 Renewable Energy Act Procedure Description (BDEW)

Please note that we accept no responsibility for the accuracy of the information in the documents provided.

Further useful information concerning Renewable Energy Act and its procedure, forecasts and accounting you can find on the common internet portal of German TSOs:  www.netztransparenz.de