Study1
Energy transition still in the hands of citizens – industry catching up
- With over 31 percent, private individuals form the most important investor group on the German market
- Commercial investment doubles to six percent in the wind energy sector
- Nationwide investment decline for biogas from 1.5 to 1.3 billion euros
Citizens continue to be the most important investor group for renewable energy plants. According to the latest studies, they own more than 30 percent of the installed capacity for renewable electricity production in Germany. This makes it clear that the decisive success factor for the ongoing expansion of renewable energies is and remains the commitment of private individuals.
In the study by Trendresearch, both members of energy cooperatives and solar roof owners were included in the private investor category. Since the last survey in 2012, however, their share has fallen by four percentage points, while the share of larger companies has risen. Markus Vetter, Head of Marketing at Kostal, even expects further growth of around 10 percent in the photovoltaic market in Germany in 2018 due to this development.2
Despite the decline, solar and wind energy in particular continue to be very popular in the private investment sector. Private individuals and farmers own a 41 percent share of onshore wind energy. In the case of solar power, they even own 49 percent of the installed capacity. However, the share of civic investment has also fallen in these segments – in the wind energy sector by as much as 9 percent. Here, too, commercial enterprises and energy utilities were able to make significant gains – the former even doubling their share to six percent.
As a renewable energy source in agriculture, biogas plants produced over 32 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2016. 73.9 percent of the plants are owned by farmers. These supply over 8 million households with electricity. Biogas plays a particularly decisive role in the heat energy transition. However, investments nationwide dropped from 1.5 to 1.2 billion euros within three years. Not least because the price of fossil fuels has fallen in relation to previous years, while the production of biogas is less profitable than initially expected.
This development also illustrates the increasing attractiveness of the renewable energy sector for institutional investors. However, for the further expansion of the energy transition, not only the investment is important, but also the acceptance of various projects and the political will to implement them.
1To the article: https://www.erneuerbareenergien.de/buerger-sind-die-wahren-treiber-der-energiewende/150/437/106495/
2Market assessment by Markus Vetter: https://www.erneuerbareenergien.de/handeln-ist-angesagt/150/436/106229/
Comparative charts: Globale Entwicklung erneuerbarer Energien | Global new investments in renewable power