German municipalities granted €10,000 payments via §6 EEG renewable energy provision

Section 6 of Germany’s Renewable Energy Act (EEG) allows operators of wind and large‑scale photovoltaic farms to make voluntary payments to nearby municipalities. The law applies to wind turbines over 1 MW and PV installations of similar size, with a payment rate of up to 0.2 cent per kilowatt‑hour that can be reimbursed by grid operators. While most German states follow the federal framework, Bavaria has introduced a mandatory participation rule, whereas Baden‑Württemberg has no own state law.

In the Kaiserslautern region, the municipal utility SWK Stadtwerke signed contracts on 20 November 2024 with eight local councils – Enkenbach‑Alsenborn, Gonbach, Mehlingen, Münchweiler an der Alzenz, Neuhemsbach, Sembach, and Wartenberg‑Rohrbach. Each municipality will receive roughly €10,000 for the 2024 fiscal year, reflecting the §6 EEG payout model and aiming to strengthen local acceptance of renewable‑energy expansion.