Three out of four eligible voters in Germany oppose cuts to subsidies for new rooftop solar photovoltaic installations, according to a representative YouGov survey commissioned by the German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar).

The findings show that 75% of respondents support maintaining or increasing financial incentives for solar installations on buildings, while only 13% favor reducing them.

Conducted between October 2 and 5, 2026, among 2,105 eligible voters, the survey highlights widespread support for rooftop solar incentives across Germany's political spectrum, as lawmakers consider changes to the country's renewable energy regulatory framework.

Among voters of the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), 74% support maintaining or increasing subsidies, compared with 77% among Social Democratic Party (SPD) voters.

Support reaches 90% among Alliance 90/The Greens voters, 83% among supporters of The Left, and 63% among Alternative for Germany (AfD) voters.

Solar subsidy reform enters a critical parliamentary phase

The survey comes as discussions over the 2027 reform of Germany's Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) and a legislative package addressing electricity grids enter a decisive phase in the Bundestag.

Both legislative proposals were examined during two public hearings held by the Bundestag's Economic Affairs Committee this week.

BSW-Solar argues that the survey results demonstrate the importance of maintaining a stable support framework for rooftop photovoltaic installations.

Carsten Körnig, Managing Director of BSW-Solar, said the findings send a clear message to lawmakers about the importance of reliable solar incentives.

He also emphasized that additional solar installations could help Germany reduce its dependence on costly energy imports while contributing to lower electricity costs.

According to the association, restricting one of the country's most affordable domestic energy sources would undermine efforts to address energy security and climate challenges.

Solar industry calls for changes to proposed legislation

BSW-Solar is urging lawmakers to revise three key aspects of the proposed regulatory changes.

First, the association warns against reducing subsidies for rooftop photovoltaic installations and introducing additional electricity marketing obligations, arguing that such measures could discourage investment in distributed solar generation.

Second, it calls for avoiding new regulatory requirements that could unnecessarily increase the costs of utility-scale solar projects.

Third, BSW-Solar advocates accelerating the deployment of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and the digitalization of electricity grids to help reduce network expansion costs.

The association argues that these measures would provide a more effective response to grid congestion than restrictions that could prevent renewable energy projects from being developed in constrained network areas for several years.

Its proposals aim to support continued renewable energy deployment while improving grid flexibility and managing infrastructure costs.

Renewable energy sector to demonstrate in Berlin

Meanwhile, companies, employees, industry associations and civil society organizations are preparing to demonstrate in Berlin on Friday, October 9, calling for policies that support renewable energy expansion.

The rally, scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. on the lawn outside the Reichstag building, will take place under the slogan “Renewable Energy: Expand, Don't Hold Back!”

BSW-Solar has also called on its members and supporters to participate in the demonstration.

Körnig stressed that the Bundestag now has an opportunity to establish reliable regulatory conditions for the next phase of Germany's energy transition and facilitate investment in solar energy rather than creating additional barriers.

The YouGov survey also found that 13% of respondents were undecided or did not provide an answer. Minor discrepancies in the percentages are due to rounding.