Feed-in Tariff 2026: What Operators Actually Receive

In 2026, the Einspeisevergütung (feed-in tariff) is no longer the return driver of a commercial PV system, but it remains the guaranteed second pillar: 20 years of fixed remuneration under the EEG, Germany's Renewable Energy Sources Act, for every kilowatt hour fed into the grid. This article covers the current rates, the degression schedule and the rules above 100 kWp.

The current rates (1 August 2026 to 31 January 2027)

The rates in the overview above apply to new systems commissioned since 1 August 2026, for 20 years from commissioning, fixed in the EEG. The source is the set of anzulegende Werte (applicable values) published by the Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency) under § 21 (1) and § 53 (1) EEG, as of 10 August 2026. For systems spanning size brackets, remuneration is calculated pro rata: a 60 kWp system receives the 10 kWp rate for its first 10 kWp, the 40 kWp rate for the next 30 kWp, and the 100 kWp rate for the remainder.

Systems commissioned between 1 February and 31 July 2026 keep the rates of that window: 7.78 / 6.73 / 5.50 ct/kWh for partial feed-in and 12.34 / 10.35 ct/kWh for full feed-in, for 20 years.

Degression: 1% less every six months

The tariff rates fall by 1% every six months, on 1 February and 1 August. On 1 August 2026 the rate for small systems fell from 7.78 to 7.70 ct/kWh (partial feed-in, up to 10 kWp). The next step falls due on 1 February 2027; those values are published by the Bundesnetzagentur and only become binding with that publication.

Practical consequence: the month of commissioning determines the rate for the next 20 years. A system commissioned in January 2027 locks in the higher rate compared with February. For overall project economics, however, this difference weighs little against the self-consumption share; the full calculation is in the article Is photovoltaics worth it for commercial roofs in 2026?

Above 100 kWp: direct marketing instead of a fixed tariff

Systems above 100 kWp must sell their power via Direktvermarktung (direct marketing of power). Instead of the fixed feed-in tariff, operators receive:

• the revenue from selling the power through a direct marketer, plus
• the gleitende Marktprämie (sliding market premium): the difference between the anzulegender Wert (the applicable value, the EEG reference rate for the system class) and the monthly market value for solar.

The anzulegender Wert therefore acts as a floor. If the exchange price is higher, the operator keeps the additional revenue. The direct marketer charges a fee for this, typically in the range of a few tenths of a cent per kWh.

There are plans to lower the direct marketing threshold from 2027; a switch to CfD structures is also being discussed as part of the EEG reform 2027. Neither has been enacted; for investment decisions in 2026, current law applies.

What Solarpaket I could still add for commercial roofs

The 1.5 ct/kWh bonus for commercial rooftop systems between 40 and 1,000 kWp envisaged in Solarpaket I (Germany's Solar Package I) has not yet received state aid approval; the European Commission requires a clawback mechanism. Implementation depends on the EEG reform 2027. Anyone running the numbers today should calculate without this bonus and treat it as potential upside, not as a basis.

Context: the more important number is on your electricity bill

At a feed-in tariff of 5.44 ct/kWh and commercial electricity prices of 25-30 ct/kWh (all-in and net of VAT, varying with the consumption band and the contract date, see Is photovoltaics worth it for commercial roofs in 2026?), every self-consumed kilowatt hour is worth four to five times as much as one fed into the grid. The feed-in tariff secures the residual volume and makes cash flow predictable, but the business model of a commercial PV system in 2026 is Eigenverbrauch (self-consumption).

How much your roof can carry and what self-consumption share is realistic is shown by the initial analysis in NEXA ONE, based on official data (LoD2, PVGIS): free of charge, start the analysis. For choosing a model (buy, lease, or lease out your roof), take a look at NEXA Own, NEXA Lease and NEXA Zero.