Technical lecture "Building with straw" by Marcel Burgstaller

Funding for solar houses with large photovoltaic and solar thermal systems for heat, electricity and mobility remains consistently high

"Solar houses with large photovoltaic and solar thermal systems for the climate-friendly generation of electricity and heat are not affected by the changes in the amended Renewable Energy Sources Act." Rainer Körner, 2nd Chairman of the Sonnenhaus-Institut e.V., points this out. Since the EEG 2017 was passed by the Bundesrat and the Bundestag on 8 July 2016, it has been strongly criticised from various sides. "Even if certain changes will certainly not lead to rapid progress in the energy transition and climate protection, the impression must not be created now that solar systems are generally no longer worthwhile," says Körner. The managing director of the Heilbronn-based construction company KHB-Creativ Wohnbau has been vice-chairman of the Competence Network for Solar Construction since November 2015. "For solar houses, the subsidy remains constantly high." For photovoltaic systems with an output of up to 10 kilowatts, nothing will change in the EEG 2017. In this size range, these plants will still be exempt from participation in the EEG apportionment. Regardless of the EEG, solar thermal systems on solar houses will continue to receive very good support from the federal government's Market Incentive Programme (MAP).

Savings through solar energy for electricity and heat

In solar houses with photovoltaics and solar thermal energy, the residents benefit in several ways. In the area of electricity generation, they can generate solar electricity at a price that is lower than the purchase price from the energy supplier and use it themselves. Depending on the size of the solar power system, energy consumption and other parameters, up to about 30 percent of the solar power can be consumed without energy storage. With battery storage, it can easily be up to 70 or 80 percent of household electricity. The solar electricity can also be used to generate heat with the help of a heating rod or a heat pump. And it can charge an electric vehicle. This means that solar house owners save on energy costs by using their self-generated solar power, and they also receive compensation for the surplus solar power that is fed into the public grid.

In the area of heat supply, the focus is on gaining purchasing power through savings. With large solar systems, more than half of the heating energy demand in solar houses is solar-generated. "With solar coverage rates of 60 or 70 percent, the savings for oil or gas, which you don't have to buy, are considerable," Körner explains.

Solar house as an individual contribution to climate protection

"But the all-embracing bracket is climate protection," he adds. "The large solar plants ensure that energy for heat, electricity and mobility can be produced with extremely low CO2 emissions and without coal, oil and natural gas." And that, after all, is ultimately the goal of the energy transition and also of the EEG, says Körner. Solar houses also contribute to grid stabilisation, since the energy they produce and consume themselves does not use the grid.

However, one legal innovation is also relevant for the builders of solar houses. As a result of the Digitalisation Act, which was also passed at the beginning of July, photovoltaic systems with an output of more than seven kilowatts must be equipped with a smart meter measuring device. "For a single-family house with average electricity consumption, however, a smaller photovoltaic system is completely sufficient to achieve a reasonable self-sufficiency rate," says Körner.

The Sonnenhaus-Institut has prepared sample calculations for the subsidies for large solar heating systems, which are handled by the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA). "The subsidy rates for large solar heating systems have never been as high as they are today," Körner emphasises. Building owners can receive up to half of the investment costs for solar collectors as a BAFA grant. "With a solar house, every builder and renovator can make a contribution to climate protection - and thus make themselves a bit independent of energy suppliers and political framework conditions."

Sample calculations for the BAFA solar subsidy:
www.sonnenhaus-institut.de/...solarfoerderung_beispiele.pdf

Further information: Sonnenhaus-Institut e.V.
www.sonnenhaus-institut.de

Source: PM Sonnenhaus-Institut e.V. (July 2016)

Keywords:
Construction and operating costs, DE-News, Renewable, Funding, Climate protection, PlusEnergy house/settlement, Environmental policy