State aid: Commission approves German support scheme for solar panels on apartment buildings

The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules a German scheme granting public support to landlords planning to install solar panels on the roof of apartment buildings. The electricity produced with these solar panels (with a capacity of less than 100 kilowatts) is intended to supply the tenants of the building. The support is paid as a premium on top of the market price that the landlord obtains from the residents of the apartments consuming the electricity. The budget is estimated at €4 million annually, and the scheme is approved for 10 years. It will allow tenants to actively participate in Germany’s transition to a low carbon, environmentally sustainable energy supply, and will help the EU reach itsenvironmental objectives. The Commission assessed and approved the scheme under its 2014 Guidelines on State Aid for Environmental Protection and Energy. More information will be available on the Commission’s competitionwebsite, in the public case registerunder the case number SA.48327.