The German Property Federation (ZIA) has generally given a positive assessment of the drafts put forward for discussion by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs concerning the reform of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG 2027) and the acceleration of grid connections. In particular, the objectives of greater market and system integration of renewable energies, aiming for cost efficiency and grid stability, as well as increasing transparency and standardisation of grid connection procedures, are considered effective for the real estate sector. At the same time, the ZIA criticises the emerging financial uncertainties for local photovoltaic and tenant electricity projects.
Further criticism concerns the duration of the association hearing, which was deemed insufficient, lasting only three working days. Given the significant economic implications of the proposed regulations for investment decisions in the real estate sector, this procedure does not meet the requirements for a well-founded and careful inclusion of the affected industries.
In the context of the EEG 2027, the ZIA emphasises the importance of building potentials for the energy transition. Photovoltaic systems on buildings generate electricity directly at the point of consumption. In conjunction with heat pumps, charging infrastructure, storage systems, and intelligent energy solutions, buildings and neighbourhoods contribute substantially to security of supply and grid relief. The ZIA therefore demands that the specific system advantages of local electricity generation and consumption be given greater weight and that tenant electricity be promoted as an instrument for a socially balanced and grid-serving energy transition. Ensuring economically viable and practical marketing opportunities for surplus electricity from building-integrated photovoltaic systems is considered essential.
Furthermore, the association criticises potential rigid feed-in limitations for photovoltaic systems, which could lead to technically and economically sensible roof space potentials remaining unused. Grid and system-friendly design should primarily be achieved through digital control, storage, and flexibility. A high-performance digital infrastructure is indispensable for successful market integration and flexibility of the electricity system, which is why the ZIA calls for an accelerated introduction of the smart meter rollout. New obligations for plant operators must be synchronised with the actual availability of intelligent metering systems and digital processes.
The grid connection package includes overdue digitisation steps. However, it carries the risk of unilaterally shifting financial burdens of grid expansion onto investors and building owners. Iris Schöberl, President of the ZIA, expressed concerns that the imposition on project developers of not receiving remuneration for up to 20 percent of the generated electricity in the event of grid bottlenecks, and additionally making construction cost contributions for generation plants mandatory, could hinder the private financing of the energy transition in the building sector. She stressed the necessity of planning certainty instead of new, unpredictable cost drivers.
In its detailed statement, the ZIA identifies positive approaches as well as critical weaknesses in the legislative proposal and calls for targeted improvements in the parliamentary process. The full digitisation of procedures, the obligation for distribution grid operators to establish standardised digital grid connection portals by 2028, and increased transparency in the grid connection process through information and disclosure requirements are welcomed. Likewise, the strengthening of storage and neighbourhood solutions through the facilitated integration of local electricity storage is positively assessed.
- —Introduction of binding grid connection deadlines and implementation of the results of the industry dialogue on grid connections.
- —Ensuring the economic viability of photovoltaic projects in capacity-limited grid areas.
- —Guaranteeing planning certainty for neighbourhood and transformation projects, especially for contractually reserved services.
- —Appropriateness, predictability, and transparency of additional construction cost contributions under uniform criteria from the Federal Network Agency.
Furthermore, the wish is expressed to explicitly enshrine the climate targets for the building sector, such as the expansion of heat pumps, charging infrastructure, storage, and neighbourhood solutions, as a prioritisation criterion in legislation when grid operators can prioritise connection requests. This is considered a fundamental prerequisite for achieving statutory climate targets.
