nuances newsletter - February 2013

• 1. Topics / Themen: The joint proposal will save over 1.8 billion EUR over thenext year. The following are important components of the Proposal Freezes Subsidy on Renewables 1 plan: in Germany / Vorschlag zur Senkung der Energiekosten The green-electricity subsidy on renewable sources will be frozen at its current level until 2014, and then UK Green Deal Improves Energy Efficiency in2will rise at a maximum growth rate of 2.5% per year. Buildings / Existing solar and wind farms (operating by August Der britische Green Deal fr mehr Energie- 2013) will face a subsidy reduction of 1.5% for up to effizienz im Gebudebereich one year. Low Prices for EU Emission Certificates /.............................................................................. 4 The initial tariff for new onshore wind turbines will be EU ETS: Niedrige Preise fr Emissionszertifikatelowered to 8 cents/kWh. Report: Renewable Energy integration into EU5An important component of the new plan lowers the tariff Internal Market /on new onshore wind parks to 8 cents/kWh, and stipulates MdEP fordert strkere Integration erneuerbarer that for the first five months of operation (as of August Energien in den europischen Binnenmarkt 2013), the tariff will not be higher than market value,which is currently at 4 cents/kWh. In addition, a significant FTC Urges Privacy Guidelines for Mobile Apps /6indication of the proposal is that investors will need to re- Oberste US-Handelsbehrde FTC verffentlicht negotiate contracts with banks. Richtlinien fr Datenschutz bei mobilen AppsThe joint proposal comes after weeks of discussion and German Region to Block IP Legislation / 7tension between the various parties and between Altmaier Schleswig-Holsteinischer Landtag will neuesand Rsler themselves. The debate was ignited when Leistungsschutzrecht ablehnenChancellor Angela Merkel rejected a part of a proposal bythe Wirtschaftsrat that sought to abolish the supply prior- Green Light for US-EU Free Trade Agreement /7ity for green electricity as well as to pass an amendment to Grnes Licht fr EU-US Freihandelsabkommen the EEG before the election in September. However, theproposal of the Wirtschaftsrat to integrate the renewableenergies into the normal energy market has now been...............................................................................................taken on by the Environment Minister Altmaier who was /5 appointed by Merkel. The proposal of Altmaier introducedGERMAN PROPOSAL CURBS ENERGY PRICES caps on costs for consumers by freezing the subsidy onBY FREEZING EEG SUBSIDY ON RENEW- green electricity.ABLES.PROPOSAL TO SAVE 1.8 BILLION EUR OVER NEXT YEAR.German Federal Environment Minister Peter Altmaier(CDU) and the Federal Economic Minister Philipp Rsler(FDP) have presented a joint proposal that seeks to tacklethe problem of declining energy prices on the stock marketand rising energy prices for households. Altmaier expectsthat the Energiewende will cost Germany around 1 trillionEUR until 2030 under the condition that the electricityprice on the stock market remains at around 4.5cents/kWh.1N5 February 2013

2. Merkel believes that while there are significant weak- Zentraler Bestandteil ist eine nderung, derzufolge dienesses of the Renewable Energy Act (EEG), it should not be Vergtung von Neuanlagen in den ersten fnf Monatencast aside because it is relatively accepted in the German nach Inbetriebnahme den Marktwert des erzeugten Stro-population and a large number of relevant political mes nicht berschreiten soll. Ausgenommen von dieserforces benefit from the law. Merkel praised AltmaiersRegelung sind Photovoltaikanlagen.concept to cap rising energy prices for consumers andtransfer more costs to the industry and the renewableDie Debatte war durch den Wirtschaftsrat angeregt wor-energy sector. den. Dieser schlug vor, den Einspeisevorrang erneuerbarer Energien abzuschaffen und erneuerbare Energien in denSince submitting the joint proposal, Altmaier has met with Energiemarkt fr herkmmliche Energietrger zu integrie-the sixteen Lnder to discuss issues surrounding the Re- ren. Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel verwies in diesemnewable Energy Act (EEG) and the rising costs for house- Rahmen darauf, dass das EEG kurzfristig nicht gendertholds. Because the SPD and the Greens hold a majority in werden knne. Gleichwohl schlug ihr Vertrauter und Bun-the Bundesrat and thus hold the power to block legislation desminister fr Umwelt, Peter Altmaier, nur wenige Tagefrom the parliament, it is important that Altmaier and spter gemeinsam mit Bundeswirtschaftsminister RslerRsler submitted a plan favourable to these parties. (FDP) vor, das EEG zu ndern.All questions and discussions on the proposal will be dealtDie Kanzlerin ist berzeugt, dass das EEG trotz seinerwith by a working group until mid-March when the final Schwachpunkte nicht verworfen werden sollte, da es in derdecision will be made at a meeting between the Environ-deutschen Bevlkerung relativ akzeptiert ist und einement Minister and Chancellor Merkel. This move bygroe Zahl von relevanten politischen Krften von diesemAltmaier and the CDU gives the party leverage as it facesGesetz profitiert. Sie lobte Altmaiers Konzept, mit dem erelections on 22 September. die steigenden Energiekosten fr Verbraucher deckeln undeinen greren Anteil der Kosten auf die Industrie und dieGESETZESVORSCHLAG VON RSLER UND ALTMAIER ZURErzeuger erneuerbarer Energien selbst bertragen mchte.SENKUNG DER ENERGIEKOSTEN.Derzeit befasst sich eine Arbeitsgruppe mit dem Gesetzes-Bundesumweltminister Peter Altmaier und Bundeswirt-vorschlag. Die endgltige Entscheidung ber die Vorschl-schaftsminister Philipp Rsler haben einen gemeinsamen ge soll bei einem Treffen zwischen der Kanzlerin und demGesetzesvorschlag vorgelegt, der das Problem von sinken- Umweltminister am 21./22. Mrz fallen.den Energiepreisen an der Strombrse bei steigenden...............................................................................................Strompreisen fr private Haushalte lsen soll. Aussagenvon Minister Altmaier zufolge werde die Energiewende THE UK GREEN DEAL TO IMPROVE ENERGYrund 1 Billionen EUR kosten, unter der Annahme, dass der EFFICIENCY IN BUILDINGS.Strompreis sich langfristig um 4,5 cent/kWh bewegt. PLAN FAILS TO GAIN CITIZEN PARTICIPATION.Der Vorschlag der Minister enthlt die folgenden Eckpunk- te: The goal of the UK governments Green Deal, introduced at the end of January 2013, is the energy efficient modernisa- Die Frderung fr erneuerbare Energien soll auf ihrem tion of 14 million existing buildings in the UK. The govern-derzeitigen Niveau bis 2014 eingefroren werden.ment-backed scheme provides loans to households to Die Zuschsse fr bestehende Solaranlagen undinvest in energy-efficient measures, such as boiler up-Windparks, die bis zum August 2013 in Betrieb sind,grades, wall or loft insulation or double-glazed windows. Awerden fr bis zu einem Jahr um 1,5% gekrzt.qualified Green Deal Advisor visits the home and recom- Der Tarif fr neue Onshore-Windenergie-anlagen wirdmends which measures should be taken.auf 8 Cent / kWh gesenkt. The central idea is that the cost of borrowing the upfront investment money will be covered by reduced energy use 2 N5 February 2013 3. this is the so-called golden rule. Thus, owners re-pay Fenster oder Heizungsanlage genutzt werden. Bevor diethe loans over multiple years via their energy bills. In order Leistungen des Programmes in Anspruch genommen wer-to ensure the quality of the assessment before the loan is den knnen muss eine Energieberatung durch einen Greenborrowed, Green Deal Advisors have to meet certain quali-Deal Advisor erfolgen.fications. If the responsible regulatory body, the GreenDeal Oversight & Registration Body, approves the qualifica-Die Schlsselidee ist, dass Hauseigentmer die Investitions-tions, the Advisors are officially listed and may use thekosten fr die Energetische Gebudesanierung ber mehre-Green Deal logo. The majority of Advisors are specialisedre Jahre verteilen und sie ber die monatliche Stromrech-craftsmen or building supply stores that offer energy- nung abbezahlen knnen. Dies gilt auch fr Warmwasser-related advisory services. und Heizungskosten Dabei sollen die Energieeinsparungen aufgrund der Sanierung die Mehrkosten bei der Strom- undThe UK has a home ownership ratio of more than 80 per- Gasrechnung abdecken. Dies ist die sogenannte goldenecent. In light of this fact, the British government is expect- Regel.ing a surge in energy efficient refurbishment. As an addi-tional incentive, homeowners will receive a one-time pay-Um die Qualitt derment of 270 GBP for certain energy efficient measures. Energie- und Sanie-However, a recent opinion poll by YouGov showed that rungsberatung sicher-more than 60 percent of the population is unaware of the zustellen, mssen dieGreen Deal. To date, only five people have contacted the Green Deal AdvisorsGreen Deal Advisors. Through further inquiry it has be-verschiedene Qualifi-come evident that home owners lack trust in the Greenkationen vorweisen.Deal assessments.Green Deal Advisors sind spezialisierteIn comparison to Germany, the quality of craftsmanship inHandwerksfirmen,the UK is considered in need of improvement. The fact that aber auch Baumrk-there is no clear separation of those who perform an en- te, die ebenfalls Ener-ergy efficiency assessment and those who implement the gieberatung alssuggested measures has also been criticised by the media.Dienstleistung anbieten. Wenn die staatliche Regulierungs- behrde, der Green Deal Oversight & Registration Body,Despite these criticisms, the British government, under thederen Qualifikation anerkennt, werden die Berater auf dieleadership of Prime Minister David Cameron, views theoffizielle Liste aufgenommen und drfen mit dem GreenGreen Deal as one of their key projects. Experts attribute Deal Logo werben.the low consumer interest in the programme to a lack ofawareness among consumer