In late summer 2020, the project partner from Hesse, the LEA LandesEnergieAgentur Hessen (State Energy Agency), had completed its Action Plan within the framework of FIRESPOL.
The LEA Hessen developed actions together with the Managing Authority (Hessian Ministry of Economy, Energy, Transport and Housing). They continuously developed these actions over a period of two years. In a total of four regional stakeholder workshops, stakeholders such as project developers, banks, universities, municipalities, and energy suppliers were able to discuss the developed actions and contribute their perspective.
Many projects with different approaches
The first action in the Action Plan is to adapt Hessen's innovation strategy to make it possible to fund projects with innovative financing instruments. This refers to projects that provide innovative financings, such as power purchase agreements or public-private partnerships.
It also refers to projects that enable a certain degree of participation through financings, such as crowdfunding or savings bonds. Such projects are to receive funding with the help of the innovation strategy. The goal is to initiate many projects with a wide variety of approaches and to help them spread and become better known.
A second important aspect is that RES power plants continue to operate beyond twenty years. In Germany and Hesse, this is relevant because a guaranteed feed-in tariff for renewably generated electricity expires after twenty years. To ensure that these plants can continue to be operated economically, an alternative solution must be found that can become more attractive through this funding.
One-Stop-Shop for project developers, investors, and financiers
The Hesse Innovation Strategy should be available in its new form in spring 2021. The next step is to initiate pilot projects for funding. To this end, the LEA Hessen, the Hessian Ministry of Economics and Energy and other Hessian stakeholders regularly exchange ideas. The first projects should be launched by the end of 2021. In parallel, an information platform is being developed where interested parties can find transparent and comprehensible information on the topic of financing and funding for renewable energy projects. In the long term, this one-stop-shop will serve as a contact point for project developers, investors, and financiers. The LEA is supporting the actions together with the Hessian Ministry of Economics, Energy, Transport and Housing. Both measures are to be fully implemented by summer 2022.
© Foto: Christof Mattes
