Entrepreneur and BSW President Joachim Goldbeck is satisfied with today’s opening of the solar cap
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Berlin, June 19, 2020 – After long and tough negotiations, the solar cap was lifted today. “With the opening of the solar cap, there is finally clarity and planning security for solar companies and investors again,” Joachim Goldbeck welcomes the decision. As Managing Director of GOLDBECK SOLAR and President of the German Solar Industry Association (BSW), he has followed the discussions closely over the past few months.
The solar cap has its origins in the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), in which it was included as a funding restriction in 2012. This was intended to limit the addition of PV to 52 gigawatts in order to take into account technical and supposed financial restrictions in connection with the expansion of renewable energy. However, there has long been a consensus that the funding restriction contradicts all the goals of the energy transition. Joachim Goldbeck comments: “Small PV systems should also continue to receive stringent support from the German government. This is the only way to achieve the energy transition in the long term.”
At the same time, economic aspects also play a major role. “In the worst-case scenario, the production stop would result in a huge market slump of up to 80 percent. That’s not really justifiable,” says Goldbeck. This negative trend has already been noticeable in recent months. For example, projects that had already been planned were canceled and new positions were no longer filled. The opening of the solar cap is now bringing relief to the industry. “Plant manufacturers and operators can now plan better again. The industry will benefit enormously from this in the long term,” says Goldbeck.
The ranks of the BSW and various companies are satisfied. Joachim Goldbeck: “Regardless of my position at the BSW, I also very much welcome the lifting of the cap as Managing Director of GOLDBECK SOLAR. One of the biggest barriers to investment in the energy transition has finally been removed. This shows that the efforts of recent months have been worthwhile.”
For Joachim Goldbeck and the BSW, however, the work is far from over. “We are working to ensure that a major legislative reform follows the opening of the cap in the fall at the latest.” This should remove further market barriers and significantly accelerate the expansion of photovoltaics and storage.