Energy sector insists on fairer grid fees

07.07.2025

Source: E & M powernews

Associations and companies in the energy industry are calling for a system that is fair, legally compliant and beneficial to the grid when the Federal Network Agency reforms the electricity grid fees.

In May, the Federal Network Agency submitted reform plans for the general grid fee system for electricity (AgNeS) for consultation until June 30 (we reported). The energy industry has responded with proposals for improvements. The German Association of Local Utilities (VKU) welcomes the reform plans, but calls for greater consideration to be given to feasibility, system efficiency and regional differences. VKU Managing Director Ingbert Liebing emphasizes: "The energy transition must not contribute to social division."

According to the VKU, the costs of expanding, maintaining and using the electricity grids must be distributed more fairly. As grid operation incurs high fixed costs, a higher basic price should ensure that households with photovoltaic systems (PV systems), known as prosumers, also receive a fair share of the grid costs. For larger consumers with power metering, the VKU also advocates the introduction of capacity prices. This would make the use of the grid more fair.

In contrast, the association is critical of excessive dynamization of grid fees. Dynamic models are technically complex, expensive and difficult to understand. Instead, flexibility incentives should be introduced in a targeted manner and initially for large controllable systems. The VKU also rejects uniform national distribution grid fees. According to the association, they would distort competition for concessions without bringing any discernible advantage for consumers or energy distributors. Liebing calls for a differentiated fee structure that rewards grid-friendly behavior.

Taking renewable energies into account

According to the German Renewable Energy Federation (BEE), the instruments of a labor, capacity or base price are not sufficient to achieve the desired steering effects. Instead, a modified capacity price could provide the right incentives. "A capacity price prices the right parameters, namely the connection and transmission capacity in the grid," says BEE President Simone Peter. This would also help grid operators as it would make planning easier.

"Renewable energies now supply by far the largest share of the German electricity mix and are system-defining," says Peter. The existing system is no longer suitable for managing the integration of renewable energies. It is therefore crucial for the renewables sector to incorporate local signals and grid status signals into the grid fee structure instead of exclusively aiming for a broad financial participation.

Peter also calls for not only the geographical location, but also the operation of the plants to be taken into account when determining a feed-in grid fee (ENE). Plants that are demonstrably operated in a grid-friendly manner should benefit from reduced ENE or be exempt from it altogether.

Industry calls plans unspecific

The Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) also sees a reform of grid fees as a necessary measure. However, Sebastian Bolay, Head of Energy, Environment and Industry, criticizes the fact that the Federal Network Agency's proposals to date are too vague. "First of all, we need planning security for the grid fee system as a whole," explains Bolay. According to the DIHK, changes to the system should relieve the economy as a whole and increase cost efficiency. Superfluous grid expansion should be avoided by making better use of existing lines.

Green Planet Energy proposes alternative model

Green Planet Energy, a green energy supplier based in Hamburg, has proposed its own model as part of the "AgNeS" consultation. Carolin Dähling, Head of Policy and Communications at Green Planet Energy, is calling for a modern grid fee system that reflects the transformation from centralized, fossil-based energy supply to decentralized renewable power generation. Flat-rate grid fees are not suitable for this. Their proposal combines financial security, flexibility incentives and grid-friendly use and could therefore be a central building block for the success of the energy transition.

Green Planet Energy proposes a three-stage model: a capacity price with a bonus and malus system that provides financial incentives depending on the utilization of the grid, dynamic grid fees that adapt flexibly to the actual grid status and targeted construction cost subsidies for better regional control of the expansion of renewables. "Only if grid fees react flexibly to grid bottlenecks can we use the existing infrastructure more efficiently and make the overall system more economical and stable," says Dähling.

Author: Susanne Harmsen