Category: 3. Business

“The Federal Government will probably try to link the payment of EEG feed-in tariffs to operators of energy plants to certain minimum requirements for the land use agreements.”

But what kind of regulation could stipulate the maximum usage fees and how should they be fixed over the lengthy term of usage contracts, usually set for 30 years? A ‘user fee audit’ with an annual review of the amounts paid would result in too much administrative work and be impractical. However, due to the text form requirements of the usage contracts, it could be sufficient for participants in EEG auctions to make a binding commitment to the Federal Network Agency to comply with certain standards. This would ensure no increase in user fees (that have not already been laid out) could be made during the contract term without operator consent. Whether further controls are necessary remains to be seen in practice. Due to the widespread due diligence checks by buyers and financing banks, a market standard should quickly emerge that places importance on complying with these requirements to secure a long-term EEG feed-in tariff.

The state already has experience with the limitation of remuneration under lease agreements – namely rent brake. Whilst these are very different subject matters – rent brake is intended to counteract the displacement of lower income groups from high-demand residential areas – nonetheless, certain aspects of this measure are comparable. For example, the rent brake’s framework includes mechanisms to decide at what point an apartment’s rent is considered excessive. Similar mechanisms could be used to take action against excessive usage fees.

What could a limitation model for usage fees look like? Currently there is no ‘energy investment index’. Will there be certain administrative categories or certain value criteria for wind and solar areas in the future? From an operator/developer’s point of view, road and grid connection conditions on site, as well as wind, light and ground conditions would be of interest in determining charges. So far, the German Wind Energy Association (“BWE”) has remained somewhat unprecise on this point: in his view, the link to the tender and the correct control mechanism are “important” for the implementation of the limitation model of usage fees. The BWE prefers a model with a loss of the acceptance of a bid in the auction for EEG feed-in tariffs in the event of violation of a reference remuneration. It therefore remains to be seen which criteria the legislator will consider permissible and how a ‘reference remuneration’ could be determined for regional areas.

In the live flight demonstration in Manching, the team of German defense companies simulated a scenario close to real operations in front of numerous representatives of the German Armed Forces: the evacuation of German citizens from a crisis area equipped with comprehensive air defense systems. A Pilatus PC-12 turboprop aircraft, a simulated Airbus A400M military airlifter, a SHARCS technology demonstrator serving as an unmanned remote carrier, and an SA-8 air defense missile system representing the enemy’s air defense were used.

The PC-12 was equipped with an electromagnetic surveillance and jamming system. It acted as a stand-off jammer, or jamming aircraft, which detected and classified the SA-8 system from a safe distance, jammed it with electromagnetic countermeasures, and rendered it incapable of combat. Without functioning enemy air defenses, the simulated A400M was able to fly into the crisis area undetected, land, and evacuate citizens.

The SHARCS remote carrier, equipped with a stand-in jammer, provided support by simultaneously suppressing communications, thereby delaying a response from enemy forces. The seamless communication between friendly forces, the exchange of reconnaissance and effect data, and the processing and AI-supported analysis of the data took place in a secure cloud.

The demonstration showed how effectively forces of electromagnetic combat (EC) can operate and protect friendly forces during missions. Since EC operates without ammunition and is non-kinetic, there is also no damage.

The capability demonstrated in the demonstration is an essential component of the German defense project “luftgestützte Wirkung im elektromagnetischen Spektrum” (Airborne Effects in the Electromagnetic Spectrum), or luWES for short, in which the German Armed Forces are building up EC capabilities. Developing the technologies for this is the declared goal of Airbus, bKEC, HENSOLDT, IBM, MBDA, PLATH, Rohde & Schwarz, and Schönhofer. Under the motto “EC made in Germany for Germany,” they want to enable the German Air Force to deploy these capabilities independently and sovereignly. Following the flight demonstration, the next step will be to further develop the individual luWES components.

luWES will form a “system of systems” consisting of complementary and modular subsystems that provide electromagnetic protection from the air for armed forces. The stand-off jammer operates from a great distance and enables enemy radar and communications systems to be jammed outside their direct range. This not only protects friendly forces, but also increases their effectiveness, as enemy sensors are suppressed before their area of operation is entered.

The escort jammer operates alongside manned mission platforms. It actively protects them in enemy territory by continuously jamming enemy radar and missile systems. The stand-in jammer penetrates directly into the enemy’s effective range. It suppresses enemy air defense systems at close range, protecting friendly weapons and thus increasing their effectiveness and assertiveness.