Grid fee reform 2026: What companies need to know now to continue saving energy costs
Author: Sabrina Alef
Reading time: 4 minutes
Table of contents
The grid fee reform at a glance: A guide for companies
Companies are facing new challenges with the upcoming grid fee reform: From 2026, the 7000-hour rule will be abolished, which previously gave companies that spread their electricity consumption evenly over at least 7000 hours per year significant cost advantages. This rule has been replaced by the need for a more flexible system that responds better to the dynamic requirements of an energy system with a high proportion of renewable energies.
Following the reform, it will be crucial for companies to make their electricity consumption more flexible and to respond to market signals, in particular price fluctuations and the availability of electricity from renewable sources.Bundesnetzagentur, Bundesnetzagentur
Review: What is the 7000-hour rule?
The 7000-hour rule, also known as the band load privilege, was a special relief for companies that spread their electricity consumption relatively evenly over at least 7000 operating hours throughout the year. Companies that met this consumption profile benefited from greatly reduced grid charges as they placed less strain on the electricity grids. This regulation enabled savings of up to 80% on grid fees.
For many energy-intensive companies, this regulation was a significant cost advantage, particularly in sectors with constant energy requirements, such as metal processing or the chemical industry. However, this regulation will be abolished from 2026, which means that companies will have to make their energy consumption more flexible in order to remain profitable.
What will change in grid fees from 2026?
The abolition of the 7000-hour rule removes the incentive to maintain constant electricity consumption. Instead, it will be crucial to adapt electricity consumption more closely to the availability of renewable energies. Companies must make their energy use more flexible in order to benefit from cheaper electricity prices at times of high generation from renewable energies and avoid expensive load times.
The role of battery storage systems will also change from 2026. While they have so far mainly been used for peak load capping to meet the requirements of the 7000-hour rule, their focus in future will be on load shifting. This means that companies will be able to store electricity during periods of low prices in order to use it during expensive peak times (such as mornings and evenings). This flexibility will be crucial to achieving significant cost savings even after the reform.
Recommendations for companies
The coming changes require an adjustment of energy consumption strategies. Here are concrete steps that companies should implement now:
☑ Analyse energy consumption and load peaks
Analyse your consumption data precisely to identify load peaks and minimize future costs.
☑ Make processes more flexible
Shift production processes to times when more electricity from renewable energies is available in order to save costs in the long term.
☑ Use battery storage for load shifting
Use battery storage to cap peak loads and make electricity consumption more efficient – both for today’s peak load capping and for load shifting from 2026.
☑ Invest in renewable energies
Investigate the use of your own renewable energy sources and storage systems to reduce grid dependency and achieve significant cost savings in the long term.
Sample calculation: savings today and in the future
Let’s take a look at the effects using an example: A company in the metal processing industry with an electricity consumption of 15 GWh and a peak load of 2,100 kW currently pays around €970,000 in grid charges thanks to the 7000-hour rule. The rule saves the company around €780,000, which means a reduction in grid fees of around 80%.
Current situation (with 7000-hour rule):
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Electricity consumption: 15 GWh
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Peak load: 2,100 kW
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Grid fees: € 970,000
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Savings through the 7000-hour rule: €780,000
After the reform in 2026, this privilege will no longer apply. Companies that do not actively reduce their peak loads or flexibly adjust their electricity consumption will face significantly higher grid charges. However, by using battery storage systems that reduce peak loads by 300 kW and making the production process more flexible by using cheaper electricity from renewable energy sources, companies can still achieve considerable savings.
After the reform (without adjustments):
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Elimination of the 7000-hour rule
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Significantly higher grid fees due to peak loads
Solution:
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Use of battery storage for load shifting
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Flexibilization of the production process and use of more favorable electricity times
Transitional provisions and exceptions:
It is expected that existing agreements on reduced grid fees will not lose their validity immediately. Transitional periods are planned to give companies time to adapt their production processes and use flexibility options. In regions with a low feed-in of renewable energies, additional exemptions could be created until grid expansion has progressed in this regard(Federal Network Agency)
Conclusion: Act now to secure your energy costs
The 2026 grid fee reform and the abolition of the 7000-hour rule are forcing companies to rethink their energy consumption strategies. Those who rely on flexible solutions such as battery storage and shifting loads to more favorable times at an early stage will be able to keep their energy costs under control in the future.
The window of opportunity to take these measures is now. Take the opportunity to prepare for the reform and secure your energy costs in the long term. Companies that act in good time will also benefit from considerable savings in the new energy landscape.
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