Hasenwinkel (dpa/mv) – The federal government intends to present proposals for the standardization of network charges in the federal states before the end of this year. “The differences cannot be justified. And that’s why we need a reform,” said Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Economics, Michael Kellner (Greens), on Monday in Hasenwinkel near Wismar. The northerners in particular have been calling for harmonization for a long time. “We have to find a fair balance between North and South, between East and West,” said Kellner. So far, resistance has mainly come from Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, countries with little use of wind power.
According to the Federal Network Agency, grid fees of 8 to 11 cents per kilowatt hour are levied in northern Germany, compared to 5 to 8 cents in the south. The reason for this is the regionally different expenses for grid expansion and compensation for the standstill of wind turbines to protect against grid overloads. The higher electricity prices, mainly due to grid fees, are also causing resistance to the construction of new wind turbines in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The expansion in the north-east in the previous year was only marginal.
Kellner hopes that eliminating the cost disadvantages will lead to greater acceptance of renewable energies. The fact that since the beginning of the year local authorities have received 0.2 cents per kilowatt hour from wind farms, regardless of the type of system, should also contribute to this. “That’s 15,000 to 20,000 euros per year and wind turbine,” said Kellner. However, he conceded that the payments are only a target determination due to legal requirements. Kellner called on the states and municipalities to use the opportunities created by the federal government to accelerate the expansion of green electricity production: “We need more speed”.
