German solar wants faster subsidy cuts

FRANKFURT, GERMANY - German solar companies in industry association BSW are proposing to cut subsidies faster than planned, Solarworld Chief Executive Frank Asbeck told a German magazine.

So far, plans had called for a 10 percent reduction of feed-in tariffs — incentives utilities are obliged to pay for power generated from renewable sources — in early 2010 and another 10 percent a year later. BSW is now proposing to add a cut in mid-2010.

"Some 10 percent on January 1, five percent at mid-year and then another 10 percent at the move into 2011," Asbeck said, according to an excerpt of an interview to be published in weekly Focus-Money magazine.

Utilities are obliged to pay 43 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity produced for 20 years for systems installed in 2009. Companies including Solarworld have called for a faster reduction of subsidies in exchange for international environmental and quality standards in regulation.

According to Handelsblatt newspaper, the BSW association is set to make its proposal to policymakers at a January 13 meeting.

Germany is a world leader in green energy with a 15 percent share of all electricity produced and wants to double that to 30 percent by 2020.

Related News

bc hydro meter

Wasteful air conditioning adds $200 to summer energy bills, reveals BC Hydro

VANCOUVER - BC Hydro is scolding British Columbians for their ineffective, wasteful and costly use of home air conditioners.

In what the electric utility calls “not-so-savvy” behaviour, it says many people are over-spending on air conditioning units that are poorly installed or used incorrectly.

"The majority of British Columbians will spend more time at home this summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic," BC Hydro says in a news release about an August survey of customers.

"With A/C use on the rise, there is evidence British Columbians are not cooling down efficiently, leading to higher summer electricity bills."

BC Hydro estimates…

READ MORE
severe winter and grid

Canadian Electricity Grids Increasingly Exposed to Harsh Weather

READ MORE

power lines

Japan's power demand hit by coronavirus outbreak: industry head

READ MORE

inflation-climate-change-clean-energy-challenges

Rising Electricity Prices: Inflation, Climate Change, and Clean Energy Challenges

READ MORE

us power grid

Russian hackers accessed US electric utilities' control rooms

READ MORE