On May 1, 2026, electricity prices on the German exchange dropped to minus 499 euros per megawatt hour. High photovoltaic production met low demand on a holiday. Economy Minister Katherina Reiche plans reforms to address this.
Berlin. May started with extremely negative electricity prices. On May 1, they reached minus 499 euros per megawatt hour around midday for six consecutive quarter-hour periods. High photovoltaic power production met the typically low demand on a holiday, driving prices negative.
Taxpayers ultimately foot the bill. Federal Economy Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) plans an amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) to provide relief.
The draft bill stipulates that operators of smaller photovoltaic systems on rooftops will no longer receive a state-guaranteed feed-in tariff. Instead, they must market the power themselves, known as direct marketing.
This aims to create incentives to align marketing with market needs. Operators could use battery storage to sell power during high-demand periods. At negative prices, they would store rather than sell cheaply.
