When it comes to energy supply, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has long relied on the new Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline. This is to transport gas from Russia to Northern Germany. The country even set up a so-called climate foundation to avoid potential US sanctions. With the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, however, this approach turned out to be a fatal error of judgment. Because the federal government subsequently banned the commissioning of the pipeline. The turmoil in the energy market, including soaring electricity and gas prices, is also hitting Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which is generally structurally weak, particularly hard. The ruling coalition of the SPD and the Left Party is therefore under pressure to find quick solutions. That is why a national energy summit was held under the leadership of the Minister of the Environment Till Backhaus (SPD). There, measures must be taken to ensure the country’s energy security. Some of the agreed points sound very familiar. This will speed up the approval procedures for new green power plants.
The connection to the mains is made via the mains socket
Other points, on the other hand, are quite innovative and could serve as an example for the rest of the republic. For example, it was decided to introduce state subsidies for solar panels on balconies, terraces or facades. Especially tenants who have not previously had the opportunity to simply place solar panels on the roof can benefit from this. In a first step, the national government wants to make ten million euros available. Private individuals can receive a subsidy of up to 500 euros from this pot if they install a corresponding system. In concrete terms, these are small power plants with a capacity of up to 600 watts. As a rule, these do not have to be connected in a time-consuming manner, but are simply connected to the mains via a socket. In this way, at least part of your own electricity consumption can be covered independently. Anything on top of that can still be taken from the public grid. Ideally, however, the electricity bill should be lower than for installing your own solar system.
The landlord must give his permission
The state government must also rely on this effect. Because she is urgently looking for measures to relieve the residents quickly and easily. From a bureaucratic point of view, the installation of solar systems on the balcony is surprisingly simple. A special permit is not required. However, the network operator must be aware of the system. Because if everyone exploits their own solar system, that will of course have an impact on the network. In some cases, it may also be necessary to obtain permission from the landlord or the household community. Whether and when consent can be refused depends on the individual case. At the same time, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern also wants to pursue other innovative approaches to expand solar energy. Consider, for example, placement on monumental buildings. Here colored solar panels could help to get approval for historic preservation. In addition, the so-called agro-photovoltaic energy should be promoted. Here the solar panels are placed above fields.