State parliament debates solar industry: demand to federal government

Representatives of several parties in the Saxon state parliament have demanded a clear signal from the federal government to preserve the solar industry in the state. Member of Parliament Daniel Gerber (Greens) warned against repeating the mistakes that led to the loss of thousands of jobs in the industry years ago. This would make the industry dependent on others in geopolitical matters. China is currently flooding the solar module market with price dumping. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has already positioned himself in favor of preserving the industry. However, the Federal Ministry of Finance has yet to give its consent.

The Left Party called for a separate state program for the solar industry. We should not always wait for the federal government, said MP Nico Brünler. We are facing a second clear-cutting of the Saxon solar industry, said CDU politician Robert Clemen. "This must be prevented at all costs. The AfD blamed high energy prices and German energy policy for the decline of the industry.

"Europe is almost completely dependent on China for photovoltaics. This is a strategic problem for the energy transition, which is mainly based on wind energy and solar," explained Energy and Environment Minister Wolfram Günther (Greens). After the clear-cutting of the solar industry in the 2010s, important parts of the value chain survived in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. "And we are technologically far ahead. The companies are just about to ramp up their production and grow." However, China's fierce dumping attacks are stifling this growth.

"In order to give our solar industry a perspective and to restore a level playing field, we need rapid, temporary support for companies - the expression of interest procedures and resilience bonuses," said Günther. With the so-called resilience bonuses, the use of photovoltaic components from European production is to be rewarded with a surcharge on the EEG (Renewable Energy Sources Act) remuneration. It is hoped that this will stimulate the production of solar modules in Europe.

The Dresden-based company Solarwatt, like the Swiss manufacturer Meyer Burger based in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt before it, had threatened to close its local plants if no political decisions were made in the near future to preserve the industry.