Germany's Federal Network Agency Lowers Price Caps for 2026 Rooftop Solar and Onshore Wind Tenders

Bundesnetzagentur Adjusts Renewable Energy Price Ceilings for 2026

Bonn, Germany – The Federal Network Agency, known as Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), has officially lowered the price ceilings for upcoming rooftop solar and onshore wind tenders in Germany for the year 2026. This decision, published on December 16, 2025, aims to foster continued competition and reflect evolving market dynamics within the renewable energy sector.

New Price Caps Detailed

For rooftop solar installations, the maximum bidding value has been set at €0.10 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). This represents a slight reduction from the 2025 cap of €0.104 per kWh. Similarly, the price ceiling for onshore wind projects will decrease to €0.0725 per kWh, down from €0.0735 per kWh in the previous year. These new maximum values will apply to auctions closing on February 1, 2026, and for the subsequent twelve months.

Rationale Behind the Reductions

According to Klaus Müller, President of the Bundesnetzagentur, the adjustments are primarily driven by two key factors: a decrease in the forecast levelized costs of electricity and a high level of competition observed in recent auction rounds. Müller stated, 'The new price ceilings create a framework enabling a large number of bidders to take part in the auctions. The ceilings are lower than in 2025. This is due to the decrease in the forecast levelised costs of electricity and due to the high level of competition in the latest auctions.' The agency emphasized that establishing these new ceilings prevents prices from reverting to the considerably lower limits defined in the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), which would not be economically viable for the majority of systems.

Impact on Other Renewable Technologies

While rooftop solar and onshore wind saw specific reductions, the Bundesnetzagentur has opted not to set new price ceilings for ground-mounted solar auctions or innovation tenders for 2026. Instead, the limits stipulated by the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) will apply to these categories. For ground-mounted systems, the price caps will be determined based on the results of the previous three tender rounds, while innovation auctions will have a maximum value of €0.0713 per kWh. The BNetzA anticipates a high level of competition under these existing frameworks. The agency also indicated that it would review the maximum values for biomass and biomethane auctions at the beginning of 2026.