German government announces new tenders for over 8 GW solar and wind capacity by 2020

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The government of Germany has passed a resolution to tender over 8 GW solar and wind capacity in the next two years.

The resolution outlines that 4 GW of solar photovoltaic capacity and 4 GW onshore wind will be tendered in 2019 and 2020, although it is unclear whether this signifies two joint tenders that will award all 4 GW in one go, or a cumulative total of several smaller or technology-specific tenders.

It also states that some offshore wind capacity will be tendered, though does not disclose the planned capacity or how this will fit into the structure of the tenders.

The government hopes that the capacity awarded will offset between eight and ten million tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

The resolution is motivated by the need to meet the EU's 20-20-20 targets: 20% renewables share of total energy consumption, 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and 20% increase in energy efficiency across the 27 member states by 2020.

Furthermore, these tenders are required to meet the ambitious national target of 65% renewables share by 2030, which was announced in January. The government intends to develop technology-specific targets to support this.

Therefore, the government is prioritising speed of implementation. The resolution promises that the tenders will be launched "quickly", and that the approval process of onshore wind turbines will be improved and streamlined. This is a response to developers' frequently encountering delays due to limiting planning regulations.

The resolution will be referred to the Cabinet before the end of the month. Also, the 65% target for 2030 will be made legally binding.

This follows the opening of the Federal Network Agency's second joint solar and wind tender last month, which will award up to 200 MW across the two technologies. Closing on 2 November, this serves as a reminder of the programme of renewable tenders already scheduled for the next few years in Germany and causes speculation as to how this new resolution will fit into the programme.