Before a "photovoltaic summit" with Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens), the energy industry calls for further simplifications for the construction of solar systems. "We will need around one percent of the country's area for open-space PV systems," said Kerstin Andreae, Chair of the Executive Board of the Federal Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), the German Press Agency in Berlin. PV stands for photovoltaics, i.e. solar systems.

At the meeting in the Ministry of Economics, a draft for a solar strategy is to be presented. According to the expansion target it has set itself, Germany wants to achieve 215 gigawatts of installed solar capacity by 2030 and 400 gigawatts by 2040. In January, Germany had around 68 gigawatts.

Fortunately, things are currently on schedule, says Andreae. The new strategy must now show how the planned large increases in solar expansion in the coming years are to be achieved. "This includes removing bureaucratic hurdles wherever possible, simplifying planning and approval procedures and making sufficient space available."

Among other things, there is a need in all federal states for the rapid opening of areas that are difficult to use for agriculture, for example, for the use of large solar systems, explained Andreae. She also called for greater use of roofs in urban areas. "Bringing a PV system to the roof urgently needs to be simplified." National minimum standards for such systems are also helpful, and the power grids must be further expanded.