Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck wants to provide financial support for a comeback of the solar industry in Germany. The Ministry of Economic Affairs announced that the Ministry wanted to initiate funding for companies with the intention of building up or expanding production capacities in the solar industry. In a first step, an expression of interest procedure for investment cost funding is started. This should use the new EU subsidy framework.
Habeck said that central transformation technologies require their own production capacities in Germany and Europe. The industry should be supported in establishing a permanent photovoltaic production in Germany. “Lighthouse projects” should be financially supported.
According to the ministry, grants should be granted up to the amount that an equivalent investment project in a non-EU country would demonstrably receive. This should prevent distortions of competition. Habeck had already named the reconstruction of the solar industry as a goal.
From an industry perspective, however, the cost and size advantage of Chinese manufacturers in particular is very large. In addition, the USA lured the remaining European companies across the Atlantic with immense subsidies. “If we want to keep up in Europe, we now need an energy and industrial double hit,” said Carsten Körnig, general manager of the German Solar Industry Association.
