The system operators — 50Hertz, Amprion, Tennet and TransnetBW — medium-term forecast compares with EUR 0.0617/kWh already fixed for 2015. This was a slight reduction on the EUR 0.0624/kWh levied in 2014.
Industry observers believe the 2016 levy will fall in between the two figures.
"The truth lies in the middle," commented Germany's renewable energy federation Bundesverband Erneuerbare Energien (BEE). In 2013, "certain parties" predicted a levy of EUR 0.07/kWh for 2014. "This did not and will not happen over the coming years. The period in which renewables levy rose sharply is over," BEE said. BEE expects a levy of EUR 0.0605/kWh in 2016 and EUR 0.062/kWh in 2017. A higher rate will not be required because, among other reasons, the circle of privileged industrial companies paying a much reduced levy rate — causing all other consumers to pay more — will not be widened, BEE said
Secondly, the renewable levy fund will be running a high surplus in autumn 2015 indicating that no deficit will have to be carried over into the following year.
The transmissions system operators' upper forecast for the levy assumes extremely high wind and solar generation, which is unrealistic, BEE said.
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