GERMAN SUN SETS RECORDS

As much solar energy as never before
25 December 2012 (Federal Solar Industry Association)

"…[In a record year] solar systems in Germany in 2011 produced more than 18 billion kilowatt hours of electricity…60 percent more than last year and roughly equivalent to…[the electricity for] 5.1 million households for a year…

"A major reason for the high demand are the significantly higher prices for oil and gas and sharply falling cost of solar technology. Just since 2007 the prices for turnkey solar power plants have more than halved. The subsidies for solar power plants could be reduced in the same order of magnitude…"

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"This is an important milestone on the road to full competitiveness of solar energy with other energy sources…The progress achieved in recent years…in reducing costs also led to the further development of solar energy in Germany…As of 1 January 2012, [the federal subsidy] decreases again for new plants by 15 percent…as the first in the summer of 2011 adopted amendments to the Renewable Energies Act (EEG) sets [in]…

"…[The German solar industry wants] the Federal Government to allow for a period of many uncertainties [as the] 2011 adopted legislation tightening effect [impacts 2012 sales]… [S]olar energy [is presently] at around three percent of German electricity consumption. By 2020, this share will expand to around ten percent…"