Germany plans to continue working on »industrial policy strategy« for renewables

Germany’s Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) held its third »production summit« on Tuesday (Feb. 21) with representatives of the photovoltaic, wind energy and power grid industries. The focus was on a report commissioned by the BMWK from the German Energy Agency (Dena) on the »Statements and Recommendations from the Stakeholder Group« submitted last year.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck presented a »key issues paper« derived from the Dena report, which describes three »priority areas for action« and also summarizes those of the recommendations for action derived from the Dena report »on which measures have already been initiated.« These include, for example, making land for wind and solar power plants more readily available, but also the creation of a »PPA industry consortium« - which has, however, so far only been discussed as an idea – that is to supply industry with »electricity from European PV modules.«
The first of the priority areas for action described by Habeck concerns »CAPEX and OPEX support.« i.e. facilitating access to investment capital for the development of production capacities. Secondly, it is to be investigated whether and how »special risks of manufacturers in the context of wind energy and power grid expansion« can be hedged by government measures. The third point is a commitment to increased innovation support. This also includes a »feasibility study on the resettlement of the PV industry in Germany«, which the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) and the industry are to prepare starting in March.
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