The Bundesnetzagentur has launched the first tender round for large-scale solar systems in 2023, with a target capacity of 1,950 MW. The deadline for bids is March 1.
From the beginning of this year, ground-mounted PV systems with an installed capacity above 1 MW will receive a surcharge. In addition, ground-mounted systems of up to 100 MW are being tendered.
Taking into account higher component, installation and financing costs, and to avoid unsubscribed bids, the Bundesnetzagentur recently increased the maximum bid limit. Currently, the ceiling price for tenders for ground-mounted PV systems in 2023 is €0.0737/kWh.
Any round of tenders last year was undersubscribed. In a round of bidding held in November, the German Federal Network Agency even lowered the planned bidding capacity from 1,200 MW to 890 MW. However, in the end, only 104 photovoltaic projects were awarded with a total capacity of only 609 MW. The capacity-weighted average surcharge was €0.0580/kWh, slightly lower than the previous year's ceiling price of €0.0590/10 million hours.
The total capacity of large-scale solar systems tendered this year will reach 5,850 MW. The second and third rounds of bidding will start on July 1 and December 1, respectively.
In addition, three rounds of bidding for rooftop photovoltaic systems with an installed capacity of more than 1 MW will be held this year. The first round of tenders has started, with a planned capacity of just under 217 MW, with a deadline of 1 February. In 2023, the total amount of rooftop photovoltaic bidding in Germany will be 650 MW, and the maximum price will be greatly increased to 0.1125 euros/kWh on the basis of 2022.