Billing for solar systems in Thuringia: Consumers fight against delays!

Billing for solar systems in Thuringia: Consumers fight against delays!

There is currently explosive material in the solar system industry in Thuringia. According to information from MDR The challenges in billing new photovoltaic systems have had an impact on the working atmosphere. Around 4,000 new systems were installed in 2022, but in 2024 this number rose to an impressive 16,000, which not only increases the potential but also puts a lot of pressure on billing structures.

The Thuringian Energy Networks (TEN) report serious problems in billing, which are primarily caused by the high number of new connections. Claudia Kreft from the Thuringia Consumer Center also criticized the fact that there is often a lack of sufficient information about possible waiting times. “Those affected should check their information particularly carefully when registering photovoltaic systems,” she advises.

Delays and solutions

The TEN, responsible for around 350,000 household connections in Thuringia, emphasize the need to deploy more staff and technology. Incorrect customer data or incorrect customer numbers are common causes of delays. Smaller network operators, such as Likra Licht- und Kraftwerke Sonneberg, are facing similar difficulties and are reporting an increase in the number of solar systems installed - from 100 systems per year previously to 200 now.

Most delays are not months, but several weeks. Although TEN is committed to improving the situation and is working to reduce the backlog, the feed-in tariff for solar power will only be paid out later, but never lost. Affected consumers can first complain directly to the company and should then forward this to the Energy Arbitration Board if no solution can be found.

Funding opportunities for photovoltaics in Thuringia

In order to further exploit the potential of solar systems in Thuringia, there are new funding opportunities from the federal government and the state of Thuringia for 2024. These measures offer low-interest loans as well as grants for the installation of photovoltaic systems and storage systems, as the information page of Regional photovoltaics shows.

• Bis zu 900 Euro pro kWp für Neuinstallationen von Photovoltaikanlagen.
• Bis zu 300 Euro pro kWh für Batteriespeicher.
• Bis zu 1.500 Euro für Ladepunkte für Elektrofahrzeuge.

Low-income citizens in cities like Jena in particular benefit from special programs. The application requires careful planning, and the Thüringer Aufbaubank and the Thuringia Consumer Center provide valuable information.

Legal claims and billing

The billing system for photovoltaic systems is complicated but important to understand. Operators are entitled to immediate connection of the PV system to the power grid, as well as to the feed-in tariff, which is financed from the EEG levy, according to the solar system portal points out. Depending on the size of the system, billing is carried out either using a standard load profile or registered load profile measurement, with operators of small systems having to report their meter readings by the end of February of the following year.

The situation requires patience and a good level of organization from both operators and network operators. The demand for renewable energies is rising steeply, but without the necessary structures, the big step towards a greener future can quickly come to a halt.