Post-EEG: What Are the Options for PV Systems After Subsidy Ends?

The Renewable Energy Act (EEG) guarantees PV system owners a feed-in tariff for electricity fed into the grid for a period of 20 years – the so-called EEG remuneration. In the coming years, more and more systems will reach the end of this subsidy period, prompting many owners to reassess the profitability of their systems post-EEG. What many don't know: by selling surplus electricity through aggregation and optimizing timing of feed-in and consumption via battery storage, many systems can achieve higher revenues than under the EEG subsidy.

What rules apply after EEG fun ends? And how exactly can you improve the profitability of your PV system? This article gives a helpful overview of how to continue operating your PV system profitably – even without subsidies.

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What Regulations Apply After the EEG Subsidy?

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During the EEG subsidy period, system owners receive a fixed amount per kilowatt-hour fed into the grid, based on the system's commissioning date and size. Since this fixed tariff is usually higher than current market rates, the end of the subsidy period could lead to significant revenue losses.

Grid operators are still required to accept electricity from systems older than 20 years and compensate for it. In 2020, lawmakers introduced a temporary follow-up compensation scheme for these post-20-year ("Ü20") systems. Under this rule, owners may continue feeding electricity into the grid and receive the so-called "annual market value for solar" (4.6 ct/kWh in 2024) minus a flat fee (0.72 ct/kWh in 2025). With an intelligent metering system (iMSys), this flat fee is halved. Originally set to expire at the end of 2027, this follow-up compensation was extended to the end of 2032 through the Solar Package I legislation passed in May 2024.

If you continue operating your PV system unchanged after the EEG subsidy ends, you will automatically receive the follow-up compensation. However, this is usually much lower than the previous EEG rate and potential earnings through aggregation.

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How Can I Increase My Revenue After the Subsidy Ends?

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1. Switching to Self-Consumption

Some PV system owners choose to switch to self-consumption after the subsidy period ends. Depending on system size and household usage, this can slightly improve economic efficiency. However, it’s often not the most effective option, since the electricity produced can't always be consumed at the right time.

With a smart battery storage system and a dynamic electricity tariff from LUOX Energy, additional efficiency gains through optimized timing of consumption are possible. This also applies to the second option: feed-in via aggregation. In aggregation, battery storage can be used not only to optimize self-consumption but also to shift feed-in times for higher earnings.

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2. Feed-In Through Aggregation

Electricity prices fluctuate – and that creates an opportunity for PV owners to get more out of their feed-in. Unlike fixed EEG tariffs, aggregation pays you the actual market price at the time of feed-in. Feeding in during periods of high electricity prices can lead to significantly higher returns.

Aggregation is worthwhile for both older and newer PV systems – especially when combined with battery storage. With market prices often exceeding EEG remuneration, there’s strong potential to increase your system's profitability. By raising your feed-in revenue, many owners can not only offset the end of EEG support but even generate additional income. This is particularly achievable by optimizing feed-in and consumption timing via battery storage (see below).

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How Does Aggregation Work?

Aggregation refers to selling renewable electricity (e.g., solar, wind, biogas, or hydro) at current market prices. The electricity is traded and compensated on the electricity exchange through an aggregator like LUOX Energy – instead of being delivered to the local grid operator for a fixed EEG feed-in tariff. With sometimes significantly higher market prices, aggregation offers a high earnings potential.

Post-EEG, aggregation enables system owners to continue operating their systems profitably.

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Additional Income Through PV + Storage

Aggregation becomes even more efficient when combined with battery storage to optimize the timing of feed-in. With a PV storage system and a compatible Energy Management System (EMS), not only can self-consumption be optimized, but excess electricity can also be fed into the grid during high-price evening hours. LUOX Aggregation is hardware-independent and can be used with a wide range of PV systems, battery storage solutions, and EMS devices from different manufacturers.

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Additional Savings Through Price-Optimized Grid Supply

With an EMS, the same battery can also be used to reduce electricity costs. This is especially attractive for owners of post-EEG PV systems, as other aggregation models allow for storing cheap electricity from the grid – provided a dynamic electricity tariff is used.

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Easier Entry for PV Systems Under 100 kWp

With the Solar Acceleration Act passed in February 2025, aggregation for small-scale PV systems under 100 kWp has become easier. All newly installed PV systems with battery storage, heat pumps, or EV chargers will be equipped with an intelligent metering system within 24 months, regardless of their size. Only PV systems with no added flexibility (e.g., storage, EVs) and a capacity of up to 7 kW are excluded. In the future, homeowners will be able to market stored electricity more easily – opening up new earning potential.