All sources of renewable energy are needed in each region - wind power plants not only in coastal areas and offshore, solar power systems not only in the sunny South!
Decentralising the power supplies and building a large number of local storage systems will reduce the risk of energy cut-offs in adverse weather conditions and help us to become independent from energy imports. In addition, the potential available for harvesting energy is increased by using private surface areas.
Finally, decentralising allows for citizens to be involved in building climate-friendly energy supplies. Using solar power systems on all buildings is of special importance in order to achieve this - solar heat from
solar thermal systems and solar electricity from photovoltaic systems.
The expansion of photovoltaics has to be accelerated.
Accordingly, we support the interests of private plant operators.
We prepare proposals to improve the various market introduction systems. One of the most important tools in Germany is the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). We developed its fundamental idea - a
cost-covering feed-in tariff for electrical power from renewable sources. This model has been successfully implemented in other countries, too.
As an independent environmental organisation, our proposals and solutions are developed without consideration of any particular "special interests". We do not compromise.
It is vital that the energy turnaround be supported by tax measures. The tax burden has to be shifted away from wage tax to higher energy tax. Together with granting an energy allowance this reduces labour costs and improves the profit prospect of labour-intensive, future-oriented industries. It helps to create new jobs in education and social work, removes the supposed dictate of permanent economic growth, and increases energy efficiency.
However, the technically and economically possible has to be politically wanted. Because of that the economic-political conditions have to be changed. Or as Al Gore put it: "We're committed to changing
not just light bulbs, but laws."
Our additional goals are:
- Profitable feed-in tariffs in Renewable Energy Acts,
- no licences for new fossil fuel or nuclear power plants anymore,
- full heat insulation for buildings,
- obligation to install solar systems on buildings,
- removal of administrative constraints when building new wind turbines in the interior of the country
- compulsion of grid operators to build sufficient access lines without exception
- compulsion of grid operators to pay a commitment fee to operators of renewable energy power plants if the electrical power produced cannot be fed into the grid for any reason
- increase of energy taxes while increasing energy allowance at the same time.
We spread the word about our goals and help to convince people on the street and politicians alike.
The German Association for the Promotion of Solar Power (SFV) is a non-profit organisation. About 2,500 paying members ensure its financial independence.