EEG Balancing Mechanism

The Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) is the central law for the promotion of renewable energies and creates the framework conditions for its future expansion. In order to determine the effectiveness of the law, regular evaluations are required. These include evaluations of the effects of the EEG on the expansion of the various renewable energy sources.

In the reporting period 2012-2015 IKEM evaluated the experience with the provisions of the Balancing Mechanism (Ausgleichsmechanismusverordnung – AusglMechV) and the Balancing Mechanism Implementation Regulation (Ausgleichsmechanismus-Ausführungsverordnung – AusglMechAV). The main criterion was the marketability from the perspective of the Transmission System Operators (TSO). From these results, IKEM generated recommendations for further development of the compensation mechanism’s fourth stage. In order to increase the efficiency of the compensation mechanism, researchers investigated the options of Third Party Marketing (Drittvermarktung) and the customization of the existing stakeholder framework. In the long term, more efficient marketing processes can serve to increase the allowances for EEG electricity on the electricity market, thereby reducing the apportionment from the EEG Equalisation Scheme.