Report
06.10.2026
Electricity

CEER Report on Unsupported Renewables

Context

For over a decade, Member Countries have promoted renewable generation through dedicated support schemes. Support periods vary and a growing number of installations are now reaching the end of support, often well before the end of their technical lifetime. Some are already operating without financial support. From a socioeconomic perspective, it may be desirable to let these installations keep producing and selling renewable electricity rather than being repowered or dismantled. This report, prepared by the Renewable Energy Systems Work Stream within CEER's Electricity Working Group, updates the previous assessment of the status quo of formerly supported installations and examines whether market models have changed. It draws on a questionnaire sent to all national regulatory authorities in autumn 2025 and reflects the expert opinions of Member Countries.

Key Findings

  • Legal frameworks have not yet been adapted. They either make no distinction between supported and unsupported installations, or support periods are still running and adaptation will only be needed later.
  • Strategies vary. Larger installations are most likely to rely on the market or power purchase agreements (PPAs), while smaller ones, mainly solar PV, are expected to focus on self-consumption.
  • Decommissioning remains a serious option for operators.
  • Compared with the previous report, no major changes were highlighted, and no significant enacted or planned changes affecting unsupported installations can yet be observed.
  • Installations coming out of feed-in tariff schemes may struggle with balancing responsibility and active market participation, raising the question of whether enough know-how and new market players will be available.

Outlook

  • The coming years, with rising capacity reaching the end of support, will show whether and how Member Countries adapt their legal schemes, including to make decommissioning less attractive.
  • Challenges such as balancing responsibility and small operators' market participation may intensify as more installations leave support.
  • The data provided by regulators is published alongside the report so readers can carry out their own analysis. Some of it does not clearly distinguish between post-support installations and those that never received support.