Membership fees regulations 2025 of KWS Energy Knowledge eG
(in accordance with Sec. 12 of the Statute)
- In accordance with Article 12, Secs. (2) and (3) of the statute, membership fees are imposed in the following manner:
- Annual fees for ordinary members of the cooperative are determined based on installed no- minal net electrical capacity expressed in megawatts and grouped in the fees classification listed below. For German members, data listed in the power plant register of the Federal Network Agency are definitive. In case of non-availability of such data, comparable official databases apply. Relevant entries in the list of December 31st of the previous year determine the annual membership fee.
Megawatts
(installed nominal net electrical capacity)Annual Membership fee (€) up to 250 3,503 251 – 500 4,672 501 – 1,000. 7,007 1,001 – 2,500 11,678 2,501 – 5,000 23,356 5,001 – 8,500 64,229 above 8,500 116,780
- rdinary members whose installed nominal net electrical capacity consists of at least 90 per-cent renewable energy installations (e.g. solar energy, hydropower, wind power, biomass, biogas and geothermal energy), the following fee classes alternative to subsection 2 apply:
Megawatts
(installed nominal net electrical capacity)Annual Membership fee (€) up to 2,500 3,503 above 2,501 7,007
Due to the mandatory complete termination of power operations of all nuclear power plants in Germany by 2022, ordinary members operating such plants in Germany pay diffe-rentiated membership fees based upon nominal net electrical capacities depending on each individual nuclear power plant’s operating phase: 100 percent during power operation, 80 percent after the termination of power operation during the post-closure phase until the plant is fuel free, and 40 percent during the subsequent remaining operation and dismant-ling phase. A member’s nuclear power plants fee category will be determined according to their aggregate net nominal capacities. Fees for an installation end once the nuclear power plant has been formally discharged from the jurisdiction of the Nuclear Energy Act.
A fuel-free nuclear power plant is defined as an installation whose complete supply of irra-diated fuel (including defective fuel rods) has been permanently removed from the premises of a block unit (e.g. to an interim storage facility on location).
Allied companies who would like to become members of the cooperative may apply for group membership with the board of directors. A group membership fee may be granted provided a consolidated financial statement is supplied by the board of directors upon ap-proval by the board of supervisors.
In this case, a fee category is determined based upon the grand total installed net nominal electrical capacity of all allied companies in order to preclude membership fees for individual companies. Group membership fees are determined by the board of directors and must not undermatch the sum fees equivalent of the combined total of installed net nominal electrical capacity of all allied companies.
The fee rate will be reviewed every three years or for any legitimate reason.Group member-ship entitles all allied companies to the cooperative’s membership conditions.
For foreign members, a special arrangement is made on account of corporate laws partially at variance with German or EU law. Also, foreign members find it hard in practice to play a part in the cooperative. By board decision, plant-specific membership may be arranged alternative to the established membership fee classification. In this case, a plant will be clas-sified based on its net nominal electrical capacity.
Affiliated members pay an annual fee of € 1,459.
The minimum fee for sponsoring members with more than 2,500 employees equals that of an ordinary member with up to 250 megawatts of installed net nominal electrical capacity.
Sponsoring members with up to 2,500 employees pay a minimum fee calculated by multi-plying the fee of an ordinary member with 250 megawatts of installed net nominal electrical capacity by the following reduction factor (R):
Companies with up to
100 employees: R = .25 250 employees: R = .35 500 employees: R = .40 1,000 employees: R = .60 2,500 employees: R = .80
Fees are inflation-adjusted annually (German consumer price index – see Federal Statistical Office). Membership fees will not be adjusted in case of a negative index value.
Members are obligated to report any changes in their installed net nominal electrical capa-city (e.g. terminal shutdowns, acquisitions etc.) that may resul
Payment of the annual membership fee is due at the beginning of each calendar year after an invoice has been issued by the cooperative.
Members of the cooperative which had previously been members of the registered associ-ation of KRAFTWERKSSCHULE E.V. receive a € 1,000 membership fee rebate for their first year in the cooperative.