For twenty years, a fixed payment for every kilowatt hour you feed into the grid: under the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), that feed-in tariff is meant to end for new solar systems from 2027. This is set out in the federal government’s draft law, which has been before the Bundestag since 7 September 2026 (printed paper 21/7867). It has not been passed yet. Here is what the draft says, what it means for your roof, and what you can do now.
In short
- Running by 31 December 2026: according to the draft, the current rules still apply to these systems: a fixed feed-in tariff for 20 years.
- Running from 1 January 2027: no fixed tariff. Small systems get a transition payment for at most 36 months, then sell their power through a direct marketer.
- New limit on feeding in: new rooftop systems under 100 kW may feed at most half of their capacity into the grid, permanently, even with a smart meter.
- Not law yet: the Bundestag and the Bundesrat have not voted, and the European Commission must approve.
What the draft changes for new systems
No fixed feed-in tariff. If you start a system today, the grid operator pays you a fixed amount for every kilowatt hour you feed in, for 20 years. The government wants to end this for new systems. They are to sell their power on the market instead, through a service provider. This is called direct marketing.
A transition payment for 36 months. So that small systems do not need a direct marketer from day one, the draft includes a temporary transition payment. It runs until the end of the 36th month after the system starts and is 1 cent per kilowatt hour below the rate that would otherwise apply (sections 25(2) and 53(1) of the draft). It covers small systems only, and the limit falls each year:
| System starts running | Transition payment for systems under |
|---|---|
| 2027 | 50 kW |
| 2028 | 25 kW |
| 2029 and 2030 | 7 kW |
| from 2031 | none |
Afterwards: sell it or give it away. After the transition period you sell your power through a direct marketer. For the first four years of direct marketing, the draft gives small systems a bonus. If you do not want a direct marketer, a system under 100 kW can also hand its power to the grid operator without payment (section 21(1) no. 2 of the draft).
At most 50 per cent fed in. New solar systems on buildings under 100 kW may feed at most half of their installed capacity into the grid, permanently, with or without a smart meter (section 9(2b) of the draft). You use the rest yourself, charge a battery with it, or the system curtails. The government wants new solar systems to come with a battery as a rule.
Smart meters from 2 kW. Systems over 2 kW are to get a smart metering system. Balcony systems up to 2 kW of panels and 800 VA of inverter output are exempt from the new duties.
What applies if your system runs in 2026
For systems that start running before 1 January 2027, the draft keeps the EEG as it stands on 31 December 2026 (section 100(1) of the draft). They receive the fixed feed-in tariff for 20 years. According to the explanatory notes, the 50 per cent limit applies to new systems only.
What counts is the day the system starts running, not the day you sign. Under the EEG, a system is running once it is fixed in place, installed with its inverter, and has produced power for the first time (section 3 no. 30 EEG). Within one month it must be registered in the national market master data register (Marktstammdatenregister). We take care of both.
Under today’s law too, new systems receive no payment while the wholesale power price is negative. This has applied since February 2025. If the new law is delayed, today’s EEG applies until it comes into force. For systems whose 20 years are ending, the draft changes little; more in our article on systems over 20 years old.
Is solar still worth it without a fixed tariff?
Yes, if you use much of the power yourself. Every kilowatt hour from your own roof replaces power from the grid that costs several times the feed-in tariff. The government agrees: in its notes on the draft it says small solar systems are often already economical without extra support when self-consumption is high.
From 2027, the battery matters more. With the 50 per cent limit, midday power that you neither use nor store is lost. A battery, a wallbox or a heat pump gets more out of every kilowatt hour.
Can you still make it in 2026?
Only a few weeks remain until 31 December. Whether it works for you depends on your roof, your meter cabinet and how fast the parts arrive. Ask now: in the first consultation we tell you honestly whether a 2026 date is realistic, and we work out your system for both cases.
What happens next
The Bundestag has not voted yet. The German Renewable Energy Federation (BEE) now expects it in the week of 9 to 13 November, followed by the Bundesrat. The European Commission must also approve the new support rules (section 104 of the draft). Until then the draft may still change. We keep checking and update this article; the date above shows when we last checked.