Planning · Support Instruments · EEG 2024

Wind Energy Subsidies in Germany

Onshore wind in Germany is primarily supported through the EEG market premium. In addition, KfW loans, regional subsidy programmes and tax incentives are available. Overview of the key instruments in 2026.

EEG Market Premium (Main Instrument)

Participation in auctions run by the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA, 4 rounds per year)
Award = reference value (anzulegender Wert; subsidy period 20 years from commissioning)
Cap value 2026: 7.35 ct/kWh
Market premium = reference value minus monthly market value for wind
Lapses after more than 4 consecutive hours of negative power prices
More: EEG 2024 in detail (DE)

South Bonus

For sites in BW (Baden-Württemberg), BY (Bavaria), HE (Hesse), RP (Rhineland-Palatinate), SL (Saarland): +0.30 ct/kWh on top of the reference value. Intended to promote regional distribution of wind turbines across Germany.

Low-Wind Correction (Site Quality Factor)

Turbines at low-wind sites receive a correction factor that increases remuneration:

Site Quality	Factor
100 % (reference)	1.00
90 %	1.11
80 %	1.29
70 %	1.49
50 %	2.07 (lower bound)

Assessment at 5/10/15 years — actual yield is compared with the reference yield, and remuneration is adjusted retroactively.

KfW Funding Programmes

KfW Programme 270 “Renewable Energies Standard”: promotional loan up to 50 million € per project, interest rate currently from approx. 3.5 % p.a., term up to 30 years
KfW Programme 277 “Renewable Energies Premium”: repayment subsidies for particularly innovative projects
State-level programmes: BB (Brandenburg), NDS (Lower Saxony), MV (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) have their own programmes for community wind and cooperatives

Tax Incentives

Investment deduction allowance (§ 7g EStG): 50 % of the investment can be claimed in advance for tax purposes
Special depreciation (§ 7g para. 5 EStG): 20 % in the first 5 years
Trade tax: 70 % goes to the host municipality — an important factor for local acceptance

Community Wind Subsidies (State Level)

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV, since 2016), Brandenburg (BB, since 2024), North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW, from 2025) — mandatory citizen participation with 20 % equity share at preferential conditions. Facilitates bank financing and improves local acceptance.

Important: EEG support typically does not exclude parallel use of KfW programmes. Cumulative funding is very common in practice.

Wind energy subsidies 2026: subsidy pyramid - EEG market premium 7.35 ct/kWh (20 years), south bonus +0.30 ct/kWh (BW, BY, HE, RP, SL), KfW programmes 270/277. Site quality correction: 100% factor 1.00 down to 50% factor 2.07. Tax incentives: section 7g 50% investment deduction, 20% special depreciation. Cumulation EEG + KfW permitted

Wind energy subsidies — subsidy pyramid, site quality correction and tax incentives

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after the 20-year EEG period expires?

Subsidy ends. Marketing options include PPA, spot market direct marketing, self-consumption, or a new EEG award (in the case of repowering).

Can repowering be combined with subsidies?

Yes — repowering follows the same EEG process as new build. Plus potential KfW funding. Details: Repowering and EEG (DE).

Are there still investment grants?

At federal level, no. Individual states (mainly in northern Germany) occasionally have programmes for community wind or cooperatives — temporary and budget-limited.