Energy: Solar industry: Reiche's plans threaten tens of thousands of jobs:
Economics Minister Reiche wants to abolish subsidies for new, small solar power ...
tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/energie-solarbranche-reiche-plane-gefahrden-zehntausende-jobs-15359060.html
Photo: tagesspiegel.de · view article
Solar Industry Faces Massive Job Risks from Subsidy CutsEnding support for small solar systems may reduce annual demand from 5 GW to below 2 GW, threatening tens of thousands of jobs.
Key FactsMar 15, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: tagesspiegel.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: tagesspiegel.de
- The government intends to eliminate subsidies for new small solar installations, potentially slashing demand from 5 to under 2 gigawatts annually.
- Approximately 100,000 people are employed in the solar sector, with half working in private rooftop photovoltaic systems.
- Mandatory direct marketing poses technical and financial difficulties as smart meter implementation remains limited for small systems.
- Without feed-in tariffs, payback periods for new installations could increase from roughly 10 to at least 19 years, discouraging investors.
That would translate almost one-to-one into job losses. Tens of thousands of workers would turn their backs on the solar industry. That would be another drag on the economy and a severe loss for our sector.— Carsten Körnig, CEO of the Bundesverbands Solarwirtschaft (BSW-Solar), in an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) on planned cuts to subsidies and the mandatory direct-marketing requirements for solar power fed into the grid.
Story Details
| Last Updated | |
| Total Articles | 5 |
Main Topics
radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of technologies
large solar power-collecting facility (collective term for different techniques)
News on this topic
Minister of Economic Affairs: Reiche's proposal jeopardizes tens of thousands of jobs, according to the solar industry
welt.de/wirtschaft/article69b6606d17184da7cffda0eb/wirtschaftsministerin-reiche-vorstoss-gefaehrdet-laut-solarbranche-zehntausende-arbeitsplaetze.html
Solar industry alarmed: Reiche's plans threaten tens of thousands of jobs: Economics Minister Reiche wants to abolish subsidies for new, small solar power ...
focus.de/earth/solarbranche-alarmiert-reiche-plaene-bedrohen-zehntausende-jobs_11aa4d8d-dfbf-43e3-940f-4993b3ed0e8c.html
,regionOfInterest=(888,524)&hash=9fcb8f592ed73c769fb966c5331cc04b4c1722748defab6716a2e7f9a998e170)
Energy: Solar industry: Reiche's plans threaten tens of thousands of jobs: Economics Minister Reiche wants to abolish subsidies for new, small solar power ...
tagesspiegel.de/wirtschaft/energie-solarbranche-reiche-plane-gefahrden-zehntausende-jobs-15359060.html
More articles on this subject
Previous
Solar industry raises alarm over Reiche's plans: Tens of thousands of jobs at stake
giessener-allgemeine.de/wirtschaft/solarbranche-in-gefahr-reiches-foerder-plaene-koennten-zehntausende-jobs-vernichten-zr-94218553.html
Next
Similar to This
Previous
Reiche Must Delete Instagram Video Accusing the Left: Federal Minister of Economic Affairs Reiche must, for the time being, remove an Instagram video about the ...
tagesschau.de/inland/reiche-linke-instagram-100.html
Key FactsFederal Constitutional Court orders temporary removal of Reiche’s Instagram video
Oct 15, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: tagesschau.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: tagesschau.de
- Following an emergency application by Die Linke, the court ruled that Reiche must initially have the video removed.
- The post appeared on September 24 on the ministry’s official Instagram account.
- In it, Reiche accused the party of openly practicing antisemitism.
- Die Linke argued that this breached the neutrality requirement for state bodies.
That ministers abuse their political power for such a smear campaign is utterly despicable and raises serious questions about their understanding of the office.— Janis Ehling, the Left party's federal secretary-general, in a Spiegel interview about Reiche and the accusations
Change of course on the energy transition: Union wants to stop subsidizing renewable energies from 2045 onwards
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/soziales/internes-papier-cdu-und-csu-wollen-erneuerbaren-foerderung-2045-beenden-a-254a847c-894d-4839-8938-56a0c6524c52
Paid articlePaywall
Reiche's energy reform: These are the plans: The Federal Cabinet wants to implement the energy reform planned by Economics Minister Reiche ...
zdfheute.de/politik/deutschland/reiche-energiereform-kabinett-eeg-netzpaket-100.html
Energy reforms: Far-reaching consequences for everyone who has or wants a solar power system
schwaebische.de/wirtschaft/energiereformen-weitreichende-folgen-fuer-alle-die-eine-solaranlage-haben-oder-wollen-4750875
Key FactsEnergy Reforms Impact Small Solar Installations Starting 2027
Jul 29, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: schwaebische.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: schwaebische.de
- Minister Reiche aims to reduce costs and increase renewable energy’s financial and grid responsibility through policy reforms.
- Regional management of grid bottlenecks and prioritized grid expansion are planned to reduce costly redispatch interventions.
- Permanent subsidies for small solar installations under 25 kW will end in 2027, replaced by mandatory direct marketing and transition payments.
- Renewable energy groups warn of reduced expansion and economic harm, while industry associations generally support the reforms.
The plans jeopardize not only the climate goals of the coalition agreement, but also hundreds of thousands of jobs and regional value creation.— Ursula Heinen-Esser, president of the Federal Association of Renewable Energies (BEE), commenting on the impact of the reform plans
Green electricity from your own roof: Reiche will now continue to pay feed-in tariffs for small solar systems after all
manager-magazin.de/politik/deutschland/solaranlagen-katherina-reiche-will-nun-doch-einspeiseverguetung-weiterzahlen-a-b677682e-9bc4-467b-a860-ba03a85a1008
Key FactsReiche Softens Energy Laws, Extends Solar Support
Jul 18, 2026 · Reading time: ~30 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: tagesspiegel.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: tagesspiegel.de
- Economics Minister Katherina Reiche revised her proposals by presenting moderated drafts for the grid package and EEG reform.
- Capacity-limited grid zones remain, but compensation payments during shutdowns will only be partially reduced.
- Subsidies for small solar installations will end but include a limited transition payment valid through 2029 to support direct marketing.
- The drafts are now under review by federal states and associations before being submitted to the cabinet for approval.
5 million units installed: Now Germany's solar roofs are becoming a problem: Victims of their own success: The solar panels on German roofs are now producing ...
focus.de/earth/jetzt-werden-deutschlands-solardaecher-zum-problem-pv-einspeiseverguetung_eb56fdd8-8795-483f-adfd-f04decc54959.html
,regionOfInterest=(1176,910)&hash=5a877391c270776d603eb2161b7f5d1f045d06963427483b4c4239d8d227fe5d)
Key FactsGermany’s Solar Roofs Pose Growing Energy Challenge
May 11, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: focus.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: focus.de
- The widespread installation of rooftop solar panels in Germany results in surplus electricity that burdens both the power grid and government finances.
- Minister Reiche proposes eliminating feed-in tariffs for new photovoltaic systems starting in 2027 to reduce costs and manage the energy transition.
- Limited flexibility in power consumption and the low adoption of smart meters hinder effective integration of solar energy into the grid.
- Slowing solar expansion risks undermining the adoption of heat pumps and electric vehicles, potentially jeopardizing climate targets.
If you want to do something good for grid reliability and the energy transition (and the federal budget), then turn off your PV system tomorrow.— Lion Hirth, energy economist at the Hertie School in Berlin, in a LinkedIn post addressed to Germany's five million PV-system owners.
"Final stroke": Economics Minister Reiche wants to put a stop to surplus solar power
fr.de/wirtschaft/reiche-will-schlussstrich-ziehen-pv-verguetung-fuer-kleine-anlagen-vor-dem-aus-zr-94294192.html
Key FactsMinister Reiche Ends Feed-in Tariffs for Small Solar Units
May 6, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: fr.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: fr.de
- Record negative electricity prices of up to minus 855 euros per megawatt-hour occurred during the first May weekend due to excess solar power generation.
- Minister Katherina Reiche aims to abolish feed-in tariffs for new small photovoltaic systems up to 25 kilowatts to ease pressure on the power grid.
- Existing installations will remain unaffected, while new owners must increasingly self-consume or directly market their electricity.
- Critics warn that removing subsidies may slow solar expansion, though it will gradually reduce financial burdens on the federal budget.
There is no industry in the world that would be compensated for a product that is discarded.— Katherina Reiche, Economy Minister, explaining the rationale for ending the feed-in tariff as part of the EEG reform (the 'closing line').
Reiche-Pläne: Solar industry warns of job losses in the trades: Starting in 2027, subsidies for solar systems under 25 kilowatts are set to be discontinued ...
deutsche-handwerks-zeitung.de/reiche-plaene-solarbranche-warnt-vor-jobverlusten-im-handwerk-377861/
Plans by Minister of Economic Affairs Reiche: What an end to subsidies for new solar systems would mean financially
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/einspeiseverguetung-foerder-aus-fuer-neue-solaranlagen-kostet-haushalte-hunderte-euro-a-b6cdb075-5360-4d08-bcd3-6b577325e926
Minister of Economic Affairs Reiche wants to significantly reduce subsidies for green electricity
faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/wirtschaftsministerin-reiche-will-oekostrom-foerderung-erheblich-verringern-200655204.html
Tens of thousands of solar jobs are at risk: Economics Minister Reiche wants to abolish subsidies for new, small solar power systems. The industry is alarmed.
deutsche-handwerks-zeitung.de/warum-zehntausende-jobs-im-handwerk-auf-dem-spiel-stehen-376349/
Criticism of the planned Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) by Economics Minister Reiche
n-tv.de/wirtschaft/Kritik-an-geplantem-Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetzes-EEG-von-Wirtschaftsministerin-Reiche-id30412935.html
Solar panel subsidies 2026: The wealthy are right to stop subsidies: The Reich is cutting subsidies for small solar power systems. But that's no reason for ...
stern.de/capital/solaranlagen-foerderung-2026--reiche-hat-mit-zuschuss-stopp-recht-37177600.html
Key FactsReiche Proposes Ending Solar Subsidies for Small Systems
Feb 26, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: stern.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: stern.de
- Economy Minister Katherina Reiche intends to stop subsidies for solar installations up to 25 kilowatts.
- The draft EEG law plans to eliminate fixed feed-in tariffs and require new systems to sell electricity directly on the market.
- Opponents from politics and industry warn these changes could significantly hinder private solar expansion.
- Despite subsidy cuts, the goal remains to increase renewable energy’s share of electricity consumption to 80% by 2030.
The solar subsidies on private rooftops are a success story — millions of citizens have invested, and the country has benefited. With her draft bill, Katherina Reiche threatens to derail this engagement.— Michael Kellner, Green Party energy policy spokesman, commenting on Katherina Reiche's plans.
Draft law: Wealthy government plans massive cuts for small solar systems: The construction of private rooftop solar systems is threatening to become practically ...
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/solarenergie-katherina-reiche-plant-massive-einschnitte-fuer-dachanlagen-a-c2ecdd35-3496-44fa-9e1e-e55bb1de74b5
Paid articlePaywall
Economics Minister Reiche jeopardizes solar expansion in Germany: Die aktuellen Pläne der Bundeswirtschaftsministerin Katherina Reiche (CDU) zur ...
winfuture.de/news,156615.html
Environment Minister: Federal government's solar plans endanger jobs: Less funding for new solar systems? Lower Saxony Minister Meyer criticizes Federal ...
paz-online.de/der-norden/umweltminister-solar-plaene-des-bundes-gefaehrden-arbeitsplaetze-VCF73BAVNRB6VNNKJDZSQ3NPSA.html
End of solar subsidies: Energy transition without rooftop electricity: Economics Minister Katherina Reiche wants to end subsidies for small PV systems ...
zeit.de/wirtschaft/2025-08/ende-solarfoerderung-photovoltaik-einspeiseverguetung-katharina-reiche
Paid articlePaywall Reiche questions funding for private solar systems.: Federal Minister of Economics Reiche wants to cut funding for green electricity from private photovoltaic ...
tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/energie/private-solaranlagen-foerderung-kuerzen-100.html
Next