Retailers in Germany complain about long waiting times when connecting photovoltaic systems and charging stations and are demanding faster processing by distribution network operators. According to information from the German Press Agency, the retail giants Aldi Nord, Edeka, Lidl and Rewe, the wholesale group Metro and the furniture retailer Ikea are among those affected by the delays.
“Retailers have great difficulty getting solar systems and e-charging points connected to the grid. This cannot be in the spirit of the energy transition,” said Stefan Genth, general manager of the German Trade Association (HDE). Companies therefore wait up to 18 months until a connection is established. In many federal states there is a legal obligation to expand photovoltaic systems and charging infrastructure for new commercial buildings.
According to its own information, the discounter Aldi Nord has already equipped around 650 of its 2,200 branches in Germany with photovoltaic systems. Up to 100 more systems are expected to go into operation this year. In addition, 1,000 new charging stations are planned for the parking lots. It is said that the bureaucratic effort involved in registering is great. After the systems are installed, it takes too long until they can be used. According to Aldi Nord, it takes up to twelve months.
At Lidl, where many branches are also being equipped with photovoltaics and charging stations, it takes up to eight months, according to a spokeswoman. Edeka also reports delays in expansion. However, these can also be attributed to increased material requirements, a lack of skilled workers and disrupted supply chains.
Processing times “longer than usual”
There are around 870 distribution network operators in Germany, including many municipal utilities. They deliver electricity to end customers and give permission for solar systems to feed electricity into the grid. The technical connection conditions and registration procedures differ in many ways. The HDE is calling for nationwide standardization in order to simplify and speed up the procedures.
None of the network operators asked want to confirm waiting times of up to 18 months. They point to the recent rapid increase in the number of new PV systems and permit requests. The processing times are “currently longer than usual,” says a spokesman for the Duisburg supply and transport company. “Particularly large systems require increased testing effort.” If applications are not complete, time-consuming corrections are necessary. Many of the network operators contacted say they have responded to the increased demand – for example by digitizing the process.
Quadrupling the number of new additions
The Energy Industry Association (BDEW) is also seeing a sharp increase in requests for connection. “The network operators are currently connecting heat pumps, wall boxes and PV systems to their network at high pressure,” said Kerstin Andreae, Chairwoman of the General Management. “Many network operators are working special shifts, sometimes on Saturdays, to cope with the rush.” According to BDEW, larger PV systems may require the network to be expanded or a new transformer to be built.
Especially with large heat pumps, there may be a need for expansion due to the high number of devices that need to be connected at the same time. “The implementation of the grid connection can take time in individual cases due to the required building permits and bottlenecks at civil engineering companies, but it is unavoidable,” says Andreae. The association advises customers with high connection rates in particular to discuss the project and integration into the network with the local network operator as early as possible.
According to its own information, the Federal Network Agency is in contact with the network operators. According to the authority, the number of new buildings quadrupled between 2021 and 2023. It is noteworthy that the network operators surveyed managed to keep processing times approximately constant, said a spokesman. The solar package launched by the Federal Ministry of Economics will bring further relief. “We are optimistic that processing times will not remain a long-term problem.”
