Thursday, March 1, 2012

German Government Agrees Rollback In Green Energy And Climate Policy

Stefan Nicola

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet backed measures giving ministers authority to adjust subsidies for renewable energy in Germany, a move the industry says would destabilize its ability to finance plants. Green lobby fears 'a rollback in clean- energy and climate policy.'

Draft legislation from the environment and economy ministries endorsed by the Cabinet today includes a clause that would enable officials to change rates paid for solar power without fresh backing from parliament. It would come into force should installations exceed a government target of 2.5 gigawatts to 3.5 gigawatts a year.

“The provision is dangerous as it would destroy investment security and may be expanded to subsidies for wind and biomass,” Carsten Koernig, the head of the BSW Solar industry group, said yesterday in Berlin. “We fear a rollback in clean- energy and climate policy at a time when Germany wants to lead.”

Germany, the world’s largest solar market, wants to cut in half the annual pace of installations after incentives for the industry pushed capacity past government targets. Merkel is encouraging renewables as a replacement for nuclear power stations that close by 2022.

Read more: http://www.thegwpf.org/international-news/5095-germany-australia-agree-steep-solar-subsidy-cuts.html

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