WRITTEN QUESTION E-1014/01

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(30 March 2001)

Subject: Difficulties associated with connecting solar installations to the electricity grid

Dozens of small photovoltaic electricity producers are required to wait (over a year, in certain cases) for approval to be granted to them by the electricity companies in order to be able to feed the energy they generate into the grid and to charge for it.

The producers generally accuse the major electricity companies of thwarting their efforts to feed into the grid by insisting upon umpteen documents and certificates, which causes their initial enthusiasm to gradually wear off.

In view of this state of affairs, which may hinder the growth of private photovoltaic-energy producers, should the Commission not take appropriate action in order to ensure that the electricity companies remove the obstacles they have created, so as to allow the producers in question to feed into the grid and to ensure that the relevant authorities reduce the length of time needed for the authorisation procedure relating to such installations to be completed?

Answer given by Ms de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(16 May 2001)

Promoting renewable sources of energy is a major priority for the Commission. The 1997 White Paper on Renewable Sources of Energy (SER)(1) emphasises their fundamental role in ensuring the security of supply and protecting the environment, and proposes, as an indicative target for 2010, doubling the share of renewable energies in the Community energy balance. The 2000 Green Paper Towards a European strategy for the security of energy supply(2) also regards the development of renewable energies as a key element in the fight against global warming.

With regard to electricity produced by renewable energy sources in particular, on 10 May 2000 the Commission adopted a Proposal for a Directive(3) aimed at significantly increasing the scope of this type of electricity in the medium term. Under Article 6 of the Proposal, Member States must review the existing legislative and regulatory framework with regard to authorisation procedures, with a view to reducing regulatory and non-regulatory barriers to increasing production of electricity from renewable energy sources.

Article 7 of the Proposal also states that:

- all the costs and benefits associated with the connection of a new renewable energy source must be defined on the basis of standard rules and be based on objective, transparent and non-discriminatory criteria;

- the costs of system installations, such as grid reinforcements, must be shared between all generators benefiting from them. The sharing shall be based on standard rules and on objective, transparent and non-discriminatory criteria;

- Member States must adopt rules on compensation mechanisms taking account of the benefits to new generators wishing to be connected to the grid derived from measures (connections or reinforcements) funded by previously connected generators.

The Council adopted a Common Position on the Proposal for a Directive on 23 March 2001(4). In this connection, the Commission was pleased to note that the Council largely accepted the above provisions, which are important in facilitating the connection to the grid of generators of electricity from renewable energy sources.

(1) COM(97) 599 final.

(2) COM(2000) 769 final.

(3) OJ C 311 E, 31.10.2000.

(4) No 18/2001.