Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) - The Greens faction leader in the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament is putting pressure on the coalition partner CDU to implement the agreed gradual introduction of a solar obligation. "There is still no regulation from the Ministry of Construction for the first step in the solar obligation," said parliamentary group leader Wibke Brems of the German Press Agency. "I'm disappointed." The first step - the solar obligation for public buildings - was supposed to come on January 1st of this year. "It was firmly agreed in the coalition agreement," said Brems. This is also "actually the simplest of the planned steps, because from our point of view it does not require any change in the law".
Almost eight months after the formation of the first black-green coalition in North Rhine-Westphalia, Brems expressed his dissatisfaction with the agreed expansion of renewable energies. "Everyone has to do more to work on solutions, that has to be the claim in this coalition," said the energy expert.
In its coalition agreement, the black-green state government agreed on an ambitious expansion of photovoltaics. "Our goal is that every suitable roof is used for solar energy," it says. All new public buildings should actually start from the beginning of the year. Suitable roof areas of state properties should be retrofitted by the end of 2025 if possible.
From 2024, the solar obligation will apply to all new commercial buildings and from 2025 also to private new buildings. From 2026, existing private and commercial buildings whose roofs are extensively renovated will also be subject to the solar obligation.
Co-group leader Verena Schäffer emphasized the independence of the Greens in the NRW coalition. "We have the right to do politics ourselves as a parliamentary group and to push things forward." However, Schäffer described the cooperation with the CDU parliamentary group as "good and trusting". It is also clear, however, that the Greens and the CDU often have different perspectives and are therefore "also much in the discussion". "Perhaps we Greens are sometimes a bit exhausting for the CDU because we always want to discuss everything three times," said Schäffer. "It's in our nature, that's how we are green."
