by Christian Ofenheusle, German Association for Plug-In Solar (Bundesverband Steckersolar e.V.)
Solar associations have been calling for the reduction of bureaucratic barriers in the use of small-scale storage in households for quite some time. Now, a petition has been launched in the Bundestag.
In Germany, electricity generation from renewable energy sources has been increasing for years, while power plants using fossil fuels are being phased out. It has long been recognized that, due to fluctuating electricity generation from wind and solar energy, the need for interim electricity storage is becoming increasingly important. Although grid connection requests for large-scale storage systems with a total capacity of over 200 gigawatts have already been submitted, their implementation, however, could take years. The situation is different for small-scale storage. In the past year alone, over half a million small-scale storage units were installed in German households. In total, these already account for a storage capacity of 15.4 gigawatt-hours. However, this capacity is not yet being used in a grid-friendly manner. The reason: bureaucracy.
Small-scale storage systems already offer a variety of possibilities for smart energy storage and usage. They could therefore already be widely used today to help balance fluctuations in the power grid. When there is an excess of electricity, they can store it; when supply is low, they can release it back into the grid. A simple price signal is sufficient for this. When there is a surplus in the grid, electricity becomes cheaper; when there is a shortage, it becomes more expensive. This creates a natural incentive to store electricity when it is cheap and use it during expensive periods, thereby saving on electricity costs while simultaneously relieving the grid. This is possible through variable grid fees, which can make electricity prices independent of specific tariffs and wholesale market prices—sometimes cheaper, sometimes more expensive—depending on the situation in the local grid. However, current energy legislation does not permit this.
A current petition to the Bundestag is calling for this to change. It is backed by a group of organizations and individuals around energy transition expert Dr. Andreas Schmitz, also known as “Akkudoktor,” who, two years ago, successfully pushed for the simplification of regulations for plug-in solar devices in Germany. The petition calls for the approval of variable grid fees for small-scale storage, the authorization of simple measurement devices for low-cost verification of grid-friendly usage, the removal of barriers for user-friendly storage solutions, and mandatory transparency in grid fees, taxes, and levies to enable their use as a basis for grid-friendly storage deployment.
The petition is open for signatures until April 10 and can be signed at the following link:
