In a significant move towards climate neutrality, the state cabinet of Schleswig-Holstein in Kiel has passed an amendment to the Climate Protection Act, officially known as the “Law on the Energy Transition, Climate Protection and Adaptation to the Consequences of Climate Change” (EWKG). This new legislation mandates the installation of photovoltaic systems on all new residential buildings.
“Climate protection has long been more than an environmental issue; it is about our security and economic well-being,” stated Schleswig-Holstein’s Climate Protection Minister, Tobias Goldschmidt (The Greens). “With the revised EWKG, Schleswig-Holstein is clearly setting sail for climate neutrality. We are relying on stringent measures and are exercising a sense of proportion when implementing them,” he added.
Previously, the state only required photovoltaic systems on non-residential buildings, including new constructions and extensive roof renovations. The state government had also mandated solar systems on its own properties. The new amendment extends this obligation to private residential buildings as well.
Moreover, the requirement for solar roofing on parking lots has been tightened. Parking lots with 70 or more parking spaces will now need to comply with this regulation for both new constructions and renovations or extensions. The previous threshold applied only to new parking lots with over 100 parking spaces.
Goldschmidt emphasized the urgency of climate action, citing extreme weather events worldwide as a clear indication that immediate steps are necessary. “With this amendment, we are taking climate policy needs into account. The 2040 climate target and our expansion target for renewable energies are given legal status. In concrete terms, we have built a few real climate protection accelerators into the amendment – for example, a PV standard for new residential buildings and parking spaces,” he said.
The law, pending approval by the state parliament, is slated to come into effect on January 1, 2025.
Schleswig-Holstein joins other German states such as Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hamburg, Hesse, Bremen, Lower Saxony, Berlin, Rhineland-Palatinate, and North Rhine-Westphalia, which have introduced various mandates for the installation of photovoltaic systems on roofs or parking lots.
