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Power 17/01/2025, 17:25
A marketing obligation also applies to larger rooftop PV systems.
(Image: Steag Solar Energy Solutions GmbH)

Large marketers often shy away from small systems

Aachen - The planned reduction in the direct marketing obligation for new systems from 25 kW is off the table for the time being. However, a new government could pull the proposals out of the drawer again. Such an obligation already applies today for new plants from 100 kW. energate asked the direct marketers from what size they operate.
Gas & Heat 17/01/2025, 17:05
The expansion of district heating is on the agenda of many suppliers. However, there are still many unanswered questions when it comes to implementation.
(Image: Stadtwerke Ahrensburg)

Concerns about "monopoly problems" in the heating market

Cologne - The politically targeted expansion of district heating continues to raise many questions for both cartel watchdogs and the heating industry. Both sides exchanged arguments during a panel discussion at the Ewi Energy Conference in Cologne.
Power 17/01/2025, 17:00
The total direct marketing volume in Germany is now likely to be more than 100,000 MW.
(Image: Trianel GmbH)

Quadra Energy largest direct marketer

Aachen - Just two years ago, EnBW replaced Statkraft, the long-standing leader in direct marketing, at the top. This year, there is a new industry leader. And that is not the only change in this year's direct marketing survey conducted by energate.
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News

Politics

Politics 17/01/2025, 15:50
The committee's main question was whether the nuclear phase-out was "open-ended".
(Image: Envato Elements)

Nuclear dispute: Few new insights, lots of party politics

Berlin - Was the nuclear phase-out during the energy crisis examined with an open mind? A Bundestag committee of enquiry has been looking into this question since the end of 2023. The Federal Chancellor and economics minister have now been heard as witnesses. The fronts were hardened and external observers speak of "party political calculations".
Politics 17/01/2025, 13:07

Association demands to the next federal government

Berlin - The municipal utilities association VKU and the German Association of the New Energy Economy BNE have presented their energy policy wish lists to the next German government. While the VKU is hoping for funding for power plants and heating grids, the BNE is pushing for rapid digitalisation.
Politics 16/01/2025, 17:40

IEA sees nuclear power on the brink of a global renaissance

Paris - The International Energy Agency believes that nuclear power is on the verge of a global resurgence. In a report, the agency argues that demand for electricity is increasing. It sees great opportunities for mini-reactors.
Politics 16/01/2025, 11:11

Biomass package comes too late for market stabilisation

Berlin - The industry is critical of the planned legislative changes to make biogas plants more flexible. They would come far too late to protect existing plants from being shut down and the amount of the flex bonus would be too low.
Politics 15/01/2025, 17:57

Combined Heat and Power Act amendment: Industry urges haste

Berlin - The German Combined Heat and Power Act (KWKG) must be extended as soon as possible. This was the view of numerous experts and industry representatives at the hearing on the draft law in the parliamentary committee. According to the VKU, EU approval under state aid law could be a critical factor in the extension of the CHP Act.
All news in the rubric Politics

Market & Industry

Market & Industry 17/01/2025, 16:12
How can industrial and energy transition policies be harmonised? This was the focus of the debates in Cologne.
(Image: Envato Elements/IndustryAndTravel)

Energy industry concerned about Germany as an industrial location

Cologne - Germany's energy transition path is putting the country under increasing pressure as an industrial location. At the high-profile Ewi conference in Cologne, there were passionate debates about the sense and nonsense of the relevant control mechanisms and funding instruments for industrial decarbonisation.
Market & Industry 17/01/2025, 13:06

Consumer service enquiries remain at a high level

Bonn - Consumer enquiries to the Federal Network Agency on the subject of energy are not slowing down. The agency has once again announced that the level of enquiries is very high. There are particularly many questions about electricity supply.
Market & Industry 17/01/2025, 12:46

"A large part of the industry is complaining at a high level"

Berlin - Large parts of industry have no reason to complain about excessively high electricity prices, commented Volker Quaschning, professor at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences. Nevertheless, he is in favour of subsidies for industrial companies in some areas. He explained why in an interview with energate.
Market & Industry 16/01/2025, 17:32

A total of 160 billion kWh of unutilised waste heat potential nationwide

Berlin - Germany has huge untapped industrial waste heat potential. According to the very first evaluation of the new waste heat platform from the Federal Centre for Energy Efficiency, around 160 TWh of heat is lost every year, which could be used for district heating, for example.
Market & Industry 16/01/2025, 17:07

Prosumer PV financier Bullfinch goes on a shopping spree

Frankfurt - The Frankfurt-based cleantech financier Bullfinch is going on a shopping spree. Following the acquisition of a customer portfolio from the EnBW subsidiary DZ-4, which has since left the market, it is launching an investment offensive worth hundreds of millions. The Frankfurt-based company is focussing in particular on the roof system portfolios of municipal utilities.
All news in the rubric Market & Industry

Power

Power 17/01/2025, 13:04
The utilities Badenova and Lichtblick, among others, have announced that they will let their leasing contracts with Tesla expire.
(Image: Tesla Inc.)

Energy suppliers kick Tesla out of their fleets

Freiburg - Several energy suppliers are independently sending out a political signal and taking a stand against the recent activities of the controversial US billionaire Elon Musk: the Freiburg-based regional supplier Badenova, Lichtblick and Emovy will no longer have Tesla vehicles in their fleets in future. Badenova is going one step further.
Power 16/01/2025, 17:27

Federal Network Agency plans interest bonus for building cost subsidies

Bonn - The Federal Network Agency is preparing for Regulation 2.0. Construction cost subsidies are to play a greater role in future and grid operators will be incentivised to charge them. There are also changes to the catalogue of costs that cannot be influenced in the long term, which are quite a challenge for grid operators.
Power 16/01/2025, 17:12

Gas-fired power plants compensate for wind lull

Berlin - On Wednesday, the day-ahead market reached its highest level of the year so far at 222.18 €/MWh. This was due to a weak wind energy feed-in, which increased the demand for expensive gas-fired power plants. Analysts expect the situation to ease in the coming week due to more wind and solar power.
Power 16/01/2025, 08:02

Capital booster for the storage market

Kempten - The growing appeal of the German market for large-scale stationary storage facilities to infrastructure investors could further accelerate the market ramp-up. Partners Group is the first financially strong investor to turn its attention to the business.
Power 15/01/2025, 17:06

Wind power expansion misses forecasts and targets

Berlin - With 3,251 MW of newly installed capacity, the expansion of wind power in 2024 fell short of forecasts. But optimism remains: Record approvals and rising expansion rates in some federal states show a positive trend.
All news in the rubric Power

Gas & Heat

Gas & Heat 17/01/2025, 15:56
Since the Ukraine transit was stopped, gas now only reaches Slovakia via Hungary.
(Image: Naftogaz of Ukraine)

Hungary increases transport capacity to Slovakia

Siofok - The transmission system operators FGSZ and Eustream are increasing the transport capacity on the Hungarian-Slovakian border as of 1 April. Since the Ukraine transit was cancelled, this is currently the only import route for Slovakia.
Gas & Heat 17/01/2025, 14:35

Texan company wants to buy land heating

Munich - It had been rumoured for some time. Now it seems to be a done deal. The insolvent biomethane trader Landwärme has apparently found a buyer. The buyer comes from the USA and now wants to increasingly tap into the European market.
Gas & Heat 17/01/2025, 13:07

Sefe Storage cannot sell Rehden capacity

Kassel - Sefe Storage was unable to sell any capacity for the Rehden storage facility via Prisma. The storage operator cites the challenging market environment as the reason for this. This is because the summer-winter spread is still in negative territory. This makes it difficult to sell storage capacities.
Gas & Heat 17/01/2025, 11:45

Authorisation for Etzel-Wardenburg LNG pipeline

Hanover - The construction of the new EWA gas pipeline in Lower Saxony has been approved. The pipeline, which runs parallel to the Netra, is intended to improve the capacity situation for transport from the Wilhelmshaven LNG terminal.
Gas & Heat 17/01/2025, 09:00

"District heating project in Großkrotzenburg is a castle in the air"

Großkrotzenburg - Replacing coal-fired heating is proving difficult in some municipalities. In Großkrotzenburg, the local municipal utilities have announced high price increases for their Plan B. Former mayor Klaus Reuter is alarmed and warns in a guest commentary of insolvency with expensive consequences for citizens.
All news in the rubric Gas & Heat