Climate Changed
Merkel Lawmakers Reject Calls to Expand Offshore Wind Auctions
- Snail-paced grid expansion working against raising tender caps
- Lawmaker says auction caps may be reviewed after Sept election
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Calls from the industry and utilities including Vattenfall AB for Germany to auction more offshore wind blocs are unlikely to fall on sympathetic ears until voters elect a new parliament.
Germany’s maiden offshore auction, which wrapped up last month with the winners willing to forgo subsidies for the first time, is spurring calls to raise tender caps as developers seek yields through economies of scale. While the calls have garnered backing in the Environment Ministry, the prospects of amending auction limits are zero, lawmaker Bernd Westphal said.