Small PV systems: Network fee decreases for 500,000 households are aimed at!

Small PV systems: Network fee decreases for 500,000 households are aimed at!

Economic Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (ÖVP) has announced significant innovations for small photovoltaic systems (PV) today. As part of the planned Electricity Industry Act (ELWG), small, network -related systems are to be released from network use charges. This is regarded as an important step towards the expansion of renewable energies. Hattmannsdorfer emphasized that a maximum contribution for the network usage charges should be determined, but there are still details on the definition of "small". These announcements were defended in Hattmannsdorfer's Ö1 morning journal, which pointed out that 3.5 million households pay the rising network fees, while only 500,000 households benefit from the feed-in of electricity dolomitenstadt.at.

In connection with the ELWG, the consent of FPÖ or Greens is required. The draft for the draft law is to be brought to parliament by autumn in order to start negotiations for a two -thirds majority. This is crucial to enforce the planned exceptions and changes. Hattmannsdorfer also announced that the attractiveness of storage technologies should be increased by subsequent sharpening in the law. In the future, the funding should be linked to the condition that funded systems include a storage element.

Political reactions and criticism

Hattmannsdorfer's announcements trigger different reactions. Leonore Gewessler, head of the Greens, critically commented and demanded comprehensive changes to the draft law because she warns that the current law could slow down the energy transition. On the other hand, Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) welcomes the exceptions for small PV systems and emphasizes the importance of the investments of "housing farmers". SPÖ energy spokesman Alois Schroll also supports the demand that “Häuslbauer” must not be disadvantaged.

The ELWG not only aims to advance the energy transition, but also brings fundamental changes in the electricity market. This includes the introduction of a social tariff and flexible network charges that should enable users to benefit from cheaper tariffs if they use the network at the time of low demand. Despite the planned exemptions for small PV systems, operators of larger plants must continue to pay fees for fed-up electricity, which is critically seen with regard to possible financial burdens, such as [DerStandard] (https://www.derStandard.at/story/30000285303/strommarktgesetz-keine-Netztarifen-F252r-PV plants) and and [noen.at] (https://www.noen.at/niederoesterreich/wirtschaft/strommarkt-im-wandel-feiser-fahler-bahn-kelktrizitaetSwirtschaftsgesetz-bringe- 481032111) report.

Overall, the electricity market faces a change that brings both opportunities and challenges for the operators of PV systems. The coming months will be crucial to see how the political negotiations about the ELWG will be and what concrete effects this will have on the energy transition.