Diplom-Kaufmann Thomas Schoy is managing partner of the Privates Institut group of companies. After working for banks, insurance companies and financial consulting firms, he was one of the first investment consultants to focus on renewable energies. He implemented investment models for onshore wind farms, for example.
Thomas Schoy, co-owner and Managing Director of the Privates Institut group of companies, explains why the photovoltaic industry needs a permanent base in Germany again and how Austria can be a role model for further expansion:
"Hardly any other topic seems to have moved Germans as much in recent months as energy generation and supply in their own country. The conflict in Ukraine in particular and the associated rise in electricity costs are causing many citizens to take a closer look at renewable energies and photovoltaics in particular. Large sections of the population increasingly want to invest their savings sensibly and with a secure return in renewable energies. One in six homeowners is planning to install a solar system on their home in the next twelve months [1]. In addition, more and more companies and farms are also deciding to equip their roofs or other open spaces with solar modules. This demonstrates society's need for sustainable alternatives and the desire for more investment in the energy transition. As a result, the full order books of installers and retailers are creating a general mood of optimism in the photovoltaic sector.
However, with some planned investments, the local industry is also placing a lot of trust in politics at German and European level. The German government's promise to significantly increase installed photovoltaic capacity by 2040 is particularly important here. While other countries are already taking steps in this direction, bureaucracy is still grinding away in Germany.
Lower Austria, for example, recently passed an amendment to the Lower Austrian Electricity Act 2005 in the state parliament. Once it comes into force in June 2022, the approval requirement for all new rooftop photovoltaic systems with an output of up to one megawatt will no longer apply. Previously, a permit was required for installations of 200 kilowatts or more. In this way, the Austrian province wants to promote the expansion of rooftop systems, particularly on commercial and agricultural buildings. Such a political commitment to removing local stumbling blocks in the administrative apparatus and investment barriers would also be desirable for Germany. Although rooftop systems are generally already exempt from approval in Germany, a complete energy transition in a country as large as ours also requires faster and less complicated approval procedures, for example for ground-mounted systems. With this step, Austria has caught up with Germany. However, it is now up to German politicians to take the next step towards a greener future and make the appropriate decisions. This is the only way to achieve a further expansion of renewable energies and a reorganization of electricity generation.
However, the current dilemma with Russian gas and oil should not be forgotten. Such a similar tie-up with China, as one of the main producers of solar technology, is proving to be a great danger for the future, as Europe is once again in a tight spot here. Ideally, the current good order situation and the high mood in the industry will lead to Germany once again becoming a force to be reckoned with in the photovoltaic industry. Only in this way can the current dependency relationship, which is otherwise only being reinforced, be reduced further and further over time and finally ended completely. This is a decisive step on the way out of the fossil age."
Literature
[1] Results of a representative survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of the German Solar Industry Association at the beginning of May 2022
