Holger Schneidewindt

Grid Management

The Fatal DG Comp-TenneT-Deal

EU Competition Law Costs German Consumers Billions German electricity consumers will have to pay billions of Euros due to an “undercover” settlement between DG Competition and German TSO TenneT on cross-border capacity. Through their electricity bills they will pay for…

Holger Schneidewindt18 June 2018

Tenant Supply

Same same but (very) different – the Californian and German Tenant-Supply Programs

California and Germany have recently adopted programs to support the supply of tenants with solar energy by their landlord. These tenant supply programs are promising tools to turn tenants into more active players („prosumers“) and unleash their enormous, but so…

Holger Schneidewindt30 January 2018

Grid & Renewables

Renewables dismantle fairytale of fossil-fueled “must run”

Have law makers, regulator and energy consumers been misled about a crucial issue of the German energy transition ("Energiewende"): the must-run capacity of fossil-fueled generation to guarantee grid stability and security of supply? According to the news agency “Background Energie”,…

Holger Schneidewindt19 January 2018

Energy Democracy Tracker

Germany: Prosumers (Still) Welcome!

Germany, once an energy transition and prosumer champion, still provides a supportive framework for prosumers, drawing mainly on provisions adopted at the early stage of the energy transition: guaranteed and priority grid access, priority dispatch, proportionate administrative procedures and fees,…

Holger Schneidewindt25 October 2017

EU Energy Union

Will the EU be a Role Model for a Prosumer-centric Energy System?

The EU´s plans for an Energy Union could determine the fate of private small-scale energy prosumers – not only in Europe: a dedicated long-time strategy to switch to a prosumer-centered energy system would send a strong and important signal to…

Holger Schneidewindt25 October 2017

Tenant Empowerment

Germany´s “Tenant Supply Act” – Turning Tenants into Prosumers

The German parliament adopted a legislation late June to promote landlord-to-tenant supply with solar power. It foresees a direct financial remuneration from 2,21 to 3,8 €-Cent per kWh, depending on the size of the PV-installation, for solar energy generated on…

Holger Schneidewindt3 September 2017

Innovative Prosumer Business Cases

War FOR Prosumers: Pooled Battery Storage for Balancing Power

Home battery storage systems are on the verge of a breakthrough with an estimated cost-cutting potential similar to solar panels. Innovative products and services might create attractive additional sources of revenue for prosumers with storage systems on top of self…

Holger Schneidewindt7 February 2017

EU Energy Union

Energy Union – “New Deal” for Consumers or Threat to Energy Democracy?

The Juncker Commission promotes the idea of an Energy Union as "New Deal for energy consumers". But does the Commission satisfy this claim? Or do consumers only function as disguise for an economic support program? This analysis clarifies that many…

Holger Schneidewindt22 January 2017