The EEG Levy (Renewable Energy Sources Act levy, also known as the green energy levy) was introduced in 2000 to finance the expansion of wind, solar, biomass, and hydropower plants. Operators of facilities that fed renewable energy into the grid received a fixed payment from transmission system operators, who then sold the electricity on the energy exchange at rates below the legally set tariffs. The difference was passed on to electricity consumers through the EEG Levy, which was included as a fixed component of the electricity price until June 2022. Since July 1, 2022, consumers no longer pay the EEG Levy, as it is now covered by the federal government's special "Energy and Climate Fund." The removal of the EEG Levy from consumers occurred six months earlier than initially planned.
