On Wednesday 1 August, the European Commission approved a German measure to reduce surcharges on renewable energies for users of electricity operating efficient co-generation power stations to produce their own electricity.
The institution's decision follows an agreement of 7 May this year between Margrethe Vestager, the Commission of the Competition Policy, and Peter Altmaier, the German minister for economic affairs and energy.
The German law provides for support for the production of electricity from renewable sources, paid for out of the surcharge on all electricity users. However, the authorities offer reductions to electricity self-producers using efficient co-generation combining heat and power.
As the German scheme uses a number of criteria for a differentiated allocation of a surcharge reduction and that an interim regime has been set in place until 2018 for the newest plants, the Commission considered that no overcompensation had been awarded and that the impact on competition was minimal. It therefore concluded that the measure was compatible with EU state aid rules and, more specifically, the Guidelines on state aid for environmental protection and energy. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)