Germany’s »market value solar« at lowest level in two years

Just like the trading prices on the European power exchange EPEX Spot, the »market value solar«, i.e. the average revenue determined by the four German transmission system operators for exchange trading with electricity from PV systems subsidized in accordance with the country’s Renewable Energy Law (EEG), continues to fall.
Seasonal fluctuations are normal here, but the value for the month of May, at 5.356 euro cents (5.755 ¢) per kilowatt hour, was particularly significant – a good 33 percent – below the April level (8.002 euro cents). At the same time, the market value of solar thus reached its lowest level since May 2021 (4.187 euro cents). After that, the steady and at times rapid rise in exchange electricity prices had begun, which was accelerated again after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since the fall of 2022, however, the trend has been downward again.
The payments for electricity from photovoltaic systems in direct marketing, which is obligatory for systems from 100 kilowatts, are measured by the market value solar: If the legally guaranteed remuneration is below the market value, the difference is compensated. This currently applies to 26.16 gigawatt (GW) and thus 36.7 percent of the total photovoltaic capacity on the grid in Germany (71.26 GW).
The declining market value (which similarly affects the other renewable energies) also weighs on the account managed by the four transmission system operators for income and expenses from the marketing of EEG electricity. Here, the balance in May fell by € 1.21 billion compared with the previous month (€ 13.07 billion) to € 11.86 billion ($ 12.74 billion). Without the support payments totaling € 10.8 billion made by the German government until 2021, the balance would now only be around € 1 billion.
© PHOTON