[VeniVidiVici]

...The incentives through the state-mandated “feed-in-tariff” (FIT) are not without controversy, however. The FIT is the lifeblood for the industry until photovoltaic prices fall further to levels similar for conventional power production.

Germany just ended the FIT for projects larger than 10MW. Projects larger than that must find a buyer for their energy before they build and they must freely negotiate the price of that energy with the buyer.

These solar plants in Germany must produce next to nothing in the winter time. It is pretty overcast much of the time.

[jjotto]

http://www.germanenergyblog.de/?p=10548

October 15, 2012

Today the four German transmission system operators (TSOs) officially announced the surcharge for renewable energy pursuant to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) for 2013, the so-called EEG surcharge (EEG Umlage).

As widely expected it will rise from 3.592 ct/kWh in 2012 to 5.277 ct/kWh in 2013, constituting an increase of 46.9%. Consumers that cannot reclaim the (additional) 19% VAT will pay 6.28 ct/kWh in total...