“Nobody realised how fast wind and sun became a cheap alternative” - opinion

Germany’s renewables expansion with the help of the EEG surcharge has cost the country much more than necessary, writes Michael Bauchmüller in an opinion piece in Süddeutsche Zeitung. “Kick-starting clean energy was basically a good idea. But nobody realised how fast wind and sun became a cheap alternative,” writes Bauchmüller. Consumers could draw hope for lower renewable power prices from the grand coalition’s move to switch to auctions for renewables support this year,” he adds.

Read the opinion piece in German here.

For background, read the CLEW factsheets Germany ponders how to finance renewables expansion in the future and Defining features of the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) and the CLEW article Auctions bring German solar power price to new record low.