Wie gelingt der urbane Solar-Turbo?

Solar energy is the most important renewable energy source that can be tapped in Berlin's urban area. The state government has therefore set the goal of covering 25 percent of Berlin's electricity supply from solar energy. To achieve this, the city's installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity must be expanded to 34 times the 2020 level.

Such a dynamization of the expansion can only be achieved if all building types are included - including multifamily buildings. However, the current model for subsidizing tenant electricity has crucial shortcomings, so a fresh start seems possible only with a fundamentally new regulatory focus. Reform proposals are available. In the selection process, it will be crucial to specify and prioritize the control objectives and also to communicate them openly. Given the Herculean task of solar expansion, it is also advisable to combine short- and long-term measures, as the Ecologic Institute recommends in this Ecornet Berlin Policy Brief.

In the short term: revive full feed-in

Photovoltaic systems on multi-family dwellings that fully feed the generated electricity into the grid should receive adequate subsidies. It is important to clearly communicate that this is a short-term measure to spark faster expansion while new models for tenant participation are developed.

In the medium term: develop a new model of on-site supply and adapt it regularly

A new model of community self-consumption needs to be developed to facilitate the generation and consumption of on-site generated electricity. Key issues still need to be addressed here, particularly with regard to multifamily housing and neighborhoods. An adaptive governance model is central to regularly testing and adapting the new approach.