On the 1st of August 2014 the amended Renewable Energy Sources Act (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz, EEG) came into effect. It introduces some fundamental systematic changes – especially in regard to solar power plants – which shall be presented and explained in this article. The “classic” fixed feed-in tariff for electricity fed into the grid, which constituted the basic instrument of the EEG for the promotion of electricity generated from renewable energy plants, is substituted by compulsory direct marketing. By the year 2017 at the latest, the financial promotion of renewable energies and its amount, respectively, are to be determined by invitations to tender relating to the specific renewable energy technology. In oder to gather experience with such procedures, a pilot project for solar power plants on open spaces shall be launched. Furthermore, the adjustment to the so called tender system is under preparation. The law also provides significant changes concerning renewable energy used for self supply as it will generally be charged with the EEG surcharge.