Renewable Energies Plant Register
> October 2014

On 5 August this year, the German Federal Network Agency has introduced a comprehensive register regarding the additional building of plants for the generation of electricity based on renewable energies by its German regulation on the registry of plants (Anlagenregisterverordnung (AnlRegV). The aim is to accurately record the building of new plants in order to make the energy transition more efficient and to determine the amount of subsidies depending on the building of new plants. All plants for generating electricity from renewable energy sources are obliged to register, even if the generated electricity is not promoted according to the German Renewable Energies Act (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz – EEG). New plants which have been put into operation after 31/07/2014 and are not subject to protection of public confidence have to report that they have been granted approval in accordance with the German Federal Pollution Control Act (Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz – BImSchG), their commencement of operations as well as any changes to their registered data. As a rule, a time limit of three weeks after occurrence of the reportable event is provided for this.

Solar plants (which are still being registered via the PV registration portal) as well as plants operated with fossil fuels are not affected.

Operators of existing plants are only obliged to register under the prerequisites as stipulated in the regulations on the registry of plants AnlRegV. Accordingly, an existing plant is subject to registration if the installed capacity of the plant is being increased or decreased. Onshore wind turbines having been put into operation before 01/08/2014 are affected by the obligation to register if the increased initial rate has been extended after 31/07/2014 and five years after they have become operational. Time for registering is three months for the latter case, otherwise three weeks.

Existing plants are subject to registration after they have been shut down at the latest.

Any violations of the obligation to register may entail reduction of financial promotions to zero and/or civil penalties.

Registration shall be made via the forms provided by the German Federal Network Agency.