Thorsten Blanke from Belectric: “Safely purchase solar power and compensate for costs”
Following the recent elections, the federal government's energy policy has shifted slightly. How does this affect demand for ground-mounted solar systems?
Dr. Thorsten Blanke: So far, the change of government hasn't had any impact on demand. What's important is that the economy grows again, which increases electricity demand. In addition, grid expansion must be vigorously pursued, and flexibility, for example, through the use of battery storage, must be expanded.
What uncertainties are you currently struggling with as a project developer and system provider?
Dr. Thorsten Blanke: The primary risk to further expansion is the lack of economic viability of photovoltaic systems. The number of hours with negative electricity prices in Germany is steadily increasing, making photovoltaics virtually unviable. Battery storage systems would be an important solution, but the waiting times for grid connection are far too long. Furthermore, cooperation with Chinese manufacturers is increasingly being questioned politically, yet there is currently no viable alternative to meet the enormous demand for components in the field of ground-mounted photovoltaics.
And what about the bureaucracy?
Dr. Thorsten Blanke: There are many bureaucratic hurdles – from inheritance tax to construction cost subsidies for battery storage systems. Abolishing the construction cost subsidy for storage systems would be desirable. If the subsidy becomes even higher in the future, the corresponding business model for investors and operators will be further jeopardized. Furthermore, it is a great shame that the issue of inheritance tax has not yet been regulated in favor of landowners. Both the photovoltaics industry and landowners need a binding legal framework for inheritance and gift tax on ground-mounted photovoltaics, and this should also be done in consensus with the agricultural sector. Both issues are small building blocks in a currently challenging overall structure. We see the greatest uncertainties in terms of economic viability, grid expansion, and bureaucracy.
Larger solar projects generally take a little longer. What impact do current political developments have on projects already planned?
Danny Stadler: The politically uncertain situation is causing delays in approvals during the planning process because people don't want to take risks. It's also making personnel planning more difficult, leading to over- or under-capacity within a project or company. Naturally, this also impacts the financial planning security of EPC service providers like us.
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What security do you need to plan such large projects in the long term?
Dr. Thorsten Blanke: Our plants should not only produce electricity for many years, but also be profitable. To achieve this, it is essential that the electricity is reliably purchased and compensated at a cost-covering rate. A system must be created that, in particular, avoids negative electricity prices.
The previous federal government wanted to address this with the Solar Peak Act, which would eliminate compensation for solar power from new systems after the first quarter of an hour. What impact does this have on the financing of these projects?
Dr. Thorsten Blanke: This makes solar projects virtually unviable. To counteract this trend, large-scale storage facilities must be expanded.
Are you now increasingly looking for alternative financing options, such as PPAs, and what are the prospects?
Dr. Thorsten Blanke: There are hurdles here, too. If PPA prices are no longer sufficient to make a profitable investment in photovoltaic systems, the solar parks will no longer be built. Unlike the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), PPAs generally hedge electricity prices for a maximum of ten years.
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One solution would be additional storage. You already mentioned this. How does the Solar Peak Power Act affect the planning of co-location storage facilities?
Evelyn Zuban: The change in the law allows for more flexible use of storage systems, allowing them to be used both for storing subsidized electricity and for importing and exporting electricity from the public grid. This means that storage systems are no longer limited to a specific subsidy but can be used more versatilely. Overall, the new law rewards investments in future-oriented energy technology. Complete packages that meet all new requirements right from the start are best. But retrofitting with storage systems is now also possible for existing photovoltaic systems. At Belectric, we offer exactly that: fully equipped systems with intelligent energy management, smart meters, and direct marketing – all ready to use and from a single source.
The questions were asked by Sven Ullrich.
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