The lower house of parliament had already approved the EEG in June – but the final hurdle could only be cleared after Berlin this week settled a long-standing dispute with the European Commission (EC) over the renewables surcharge, which Germany levies to pay for clean energy expansion.

The EC has raised a range of concerns over the surcharge – some only as recently as last month – but this week said it was content with the arrangements in place following negotiations with the German authorities.

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