In Germany, electricity from renewable energy sources is encouraged by a tariff. Conditions and amount of remuneration are set out in the German Act on Granting Priority to Renewable Energies (EEG).

Central funding instrument is the payment of a feed from the network operator to the operator in legally anchored way for a period of usually 20 years.

Electricity from ground-mounted systems is only eligible if the facility will be built within the scope of a formal planning (eg land-use plan). Ground-mounted system in the area of development plans from the period after first january 2009 must also be built in designated areas.

• Tariffs for solar electricity from 01/01/2012
• Compensation and investment
• Internal consumption and economies of scale