German SPD Minister Willingmann Criticizes Net‑Fee Reform and Past Energiewende Errors

Sachsen‑Anhalt’s economy and energy minister Armin Willingmann, the SPD’s lead candidate for the state election, said the Energiewende has been marred by costly mistakes. He argued that the earlier system of charging grid‑expansion costs through regional electricity tariffs placed an undue burden on households in regions with many wind and solar installations, especially in East Germany, and harmed public acceptance. Willingmann called for the electricity grid to be financed as state infrastructure from the start and noted that, since early 2025, a nationwide compensation mechanism has begun to spread the high regional net‑fee burden across all German consumers.

He also highlighted that municipalities now earn roughly €27 000 per year from each wind turbine, stressing the financial importance for cash‑strapped local authorities, and criticised the AfD for threatening these revenues. Willingmann pointed out that photovoltaic capacity has recently overtaken wind in installed power and urged accelerated development of a hydrogen economy.

Separately, a scientific advisory board (WAR) to the Federal Network Agency warned that the agency’s planned reform of electricity‑grid fees, set to start in 2029, does not go far enough. The board says prosumers – households that generate their own power – currently pay too little and should contribute more, proposing a modest €100‑per‑year increase in the basic charge. It also cautioned against introducing dynamic fees for generators, arguing they add complexity without clear cost‑savings, while suggesting dynamic fees could benefit storage operators.