EEG-Novelle: Die big five für bessere Netze – so sinken die Systemkosten wirklich – Bundesverband Neue

According to the bne, Germany stands at a crossroads where 75 percent of the nation’s energy consumption can already be electrified in an economically viable manner. However, the association argues that the "key to growth and competitiveness" remains elusive due to artificial regulatory hurdles that keep electricity prices unnecessarily high. To combat this, the bne has proposed a five-point plan aimed at unlocking flexibility, maximizing existing infrastructure, and integrating storage solutions without requiring a single cent of additional subsidies.

I. Main Facts: The bne’s Blueprint for a Low-Cost Energy Future

The core of the bne’s argument rests on the premise that the physical infrastructure for a low-cost, renewable-heavy grid is largely within reach, but it is currently being strangled by "red tape and outdated logic." The association highlights that the German government’s proposed EEG-Novelle (EEG Amendment) contains measures that could inadvertently drive up system costs by failing to prioritize flexibility and storage.

The bne’s proposal focuses on five specific "levers" designed to reduce redispatch costs (the cost of adjusting power grid feed-ins to avoid congestion) and curtailment (the forced shutting down of renewable plants when the grid is full).

The Five Pillars of the bne Proposal:

1. Freedom Behind the Connection Point: Allowing operators to add solar capacity or storage to existing grid connections without undergoing a new, lengthy approval process, provided the maximum feed-in limit remains unchanged.
2. Utilization Over Curtailment: Transforming the "use it or lose it" mentality into a "store it and use it" reality. This includes allowing storage units to absorb excess wind power from neighboring farms during periods of high production.
3. Shared Grid Infrastructure: Establishing a legal right for multiple operators to share existing connection lines, reducing the need for new cable routes and lowering connection costs.
4. Prosumer Flexibility: Scrapping the rigid 50 percent feed-in limitation for rooftop solar systems, which the bne describes as a "waste of potential" that prevents storage from stabilizing the market.
5. Securing SME PPAs: Protecting Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for small and medium-sized enterprises by maintaining a flexible "backstop" into the EEG system to ensure project bankability.

II. Chronology: From the Energy Crisis to the 2026 Reform Deadlock

To understand the urgency of the bne’s 2026 manifesto, one must look at the legislative and economic journey of the German Energiewende over the last several years.

• 2022–2023: The Price Shock: Following the global energy crisis, Germany accelerated its shift toward renewables. The realization set in that electrification was not just a climate goal but a matter of national security and economic survival.
• 2024: The Flexibility Gap: As wind and solar capacity grew, the grid struggled to keep up. Costs for "Redispatch"—paying fossil fuel plants to ramp up and renewable plants to shut down to balance the grid—soared into the billions of euros.
• 2025: The Rise of Storage: Battery technology prices plummeted, and large-scale storage projects began to appear. However, regulatory frameworks like the EEG remained focused on "generation" rather than "system integration."
• Early 2026: The EEG-Novelle Draft: The federal government introduced a new draft of the EEG intended to lower the "EEG-Umlage" (levy) pressures and integrate renewables into the market. Critics, including the bne, immediately pointed out that the draft relied on "clunky, undifferentiated caps" rather than smart, digitalized control.
• October 5, 2026: The bne releases its definitive critique, supported by Fraunhofer research, as the Bundestag prepares for a final vote on the energy package.

III. Supporting Data: The Power of 40 Gigawatt-Hours

The bne’s claims are backed by rigorous modeling from the Fraunhofer Institute, which provides a glimpse into a high-efficiency energy future. The simulation focuses on the impact of adding 40 Gigawatt-hours (GWh) of additional battery storage capacity to the German grid.

The results are transformative:

• 88% Reduction in High-Price Hours: By shifting energy from periods of high production to periods of high demand, the storage capacity virtually eliminates the extreme price spikes that currently plague the day-ahead and intraday markets.
• 35% Increase in Solar Market Value: Currently, "cannibalization" occurs when so much solar power is produced at noon that prices drop to zero or negative. Storage allows this power to be sold when it is actually needed, significantly increasing the revenue for solar operators.
• €1.2 Billion in Annual Savings: The simulation calculates that the increased market efficiency would reduce the need for EEG subsidies by over a billion euros per year, directly relieving the federal budget and, ultimately, the taxpayer.

Robert Busch, Managing Director of the bne, emphasized that these are not marginal gains. "These are not just technical details for specialists," Busch stated. "These are the massive levers required for efficient grids and lower system costs."

IV. Official Responses and Stakeholder Perspectives

The bne’s manifesto has sent ripples through the political landscape in Berlin. While the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) has historically championed the expansion of renewables, the bne’s critique suggests that the government is failing on the "integration" side of the equation.

Robert Busch (bne):
"The federal government must live up to its own claims and lower the costs of the future electricity system. The biggest lever for this is to enable flexibility. This helps the grids become more efficient and allows the economy to grow again. Anything else is a waste of money and energy."

The Prosumer Perspective:
Homeowners and small business owners (prosumers) have expressed frustration with the "50-percent rule." This regulation often forces solar systems to throttle production even when the local grid has ample capacity. The bne argues that with the rollout of "Steuerboxen" (smart control boxes), the grid operator can intervene specifically during bottlenecks, making a blanket 50% cap an obsolete tool that only serves to discourage the installation of larger, more efficient batteries.

The "Mittelstand" (SME) Concerns:
The German Mittelstand is particularly sensitive to the PPA issue. Unlike multinational corporations, medium-sized companies often lack the credit rating to secure 20-year power contracts without some form of state-backed security. The bne argues that if the government bans the ability to "switch back" to EEG support as a safety net, the market for SME PPAs will collapse, depriving the backbone of the German economy of affordable green power.

V. Implications: Growth vs. Stagnation

The stakes of the current EEG debate extend far beyond the energy sector; they touch upon the very core of Germany’s "Standort" (industrial location) quality. If the bne’s recommendations are ignored, several negative outcomes are forecasted:

1. Deindustrialization Risks: High electricity prices continue to drive energy-intensive industries away from Germany. The bne posits that electrification is only "economically sensible" if the system costs are kept low through efficiency.
2. Infrastructure Bottlenecks: Without the "Freedom behind the connection point," the wait times for grid connections—currently a major hurdle for the Energiewende—will continue to stifle investment. By maximizing existing connections, Germany could effectively "increase" its grid capacity overnight without digging a single new trench.
3. Fiscal Burden: As long as the market remains inflexible, the "EEG-Konto" (the account used to fund renewable subsidies) will remain under pressure. Reducing this by €1.2 billion annually would provide the government with much-needed fiscal headroom for other infrastructure projects.

The Path Forward

The bne’s message to the Bundestag is clear: Flexibility is the new gold. By moving away from rigid caps and toward a digitalized, storage-heavy market, Germany can turn its energy transition from a cost-driver into a competitive advantage.

As the Bundestag prepares for its upcoming sessions, the focus will be on whether lawmakers are willing to embrace the "freedom behind the meter" or if they will stick to a centralized, restrictive approach that the bne warns could stall the nation’s economic engine.

"We have the technology and the economic justification," Busch concluded. "Now we just need the political will to stop wasting energy and start using it."