From 2023, under certain circumstances, solar system owners will earn twice as much money for feeding solar power into the grid. We explain what you need to pay attention to and for whom it is worthwhile.

Private individuals who have a photovoltaic system on the roof are probably familiar with the bill: Electricity fed into the public grid is currently only remunerated at around six cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). Electricity purchased from the provider often costs more than 30 cents per kWh. It is therefore worth using as much solar power as possible yourself.

In the future, however, it could become more attractive to sell self-produced electricity. Because an expected change in the law promises double the remuneration rates for full feeders. The magazine “Finanztest” (edition 6/2022) points this out.

If the reform of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) goes through the Bundestag in the summer, full feed-in users should hope for remuneration of up to 13.40 cents per kWh. However, this only applies to solar modules that will be put into operation from 2023.

Full feed-in could then pay off again, especially for operators of systems with an output of more than ten kilowatts. According to product testers, these models reduce the proportion of solar power that can be used by the customer – too little to be profitable.

On the other hand, anyone who would like to continue using part of the solar power for themselves and feed the rest into the grid should continue to be paid a maximum of 6.53 cents per kWh of electricity fed into the grid. The decision between full and partial feed-in is not binding, operators can reconsider each year. The yield calculator from Stiftung Warentest can help with this.

Basically, “Finanztest” advises homeowners who want to install a system in the near future to be patient. Plant operators will only have certainty when the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology confirms the new remuneration rates and the Bundestag passes the law. That will probably be at the end of June or beginning of July this year.

Homeowners would have to be patient anyway – completely independent of any feed-in tariffs. After signing the contract, it often takes longer than half a year until the small solar power plant is installed on the roof due to the high demand.