German solar wants faster subsidy cuts

subscribe

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

Sustainable Marine now delivering electricity to Nova Scotia grid from tidal energy

HALIFAX - Sustainable Marine has officially powered up its tidal energy operation in Canada and is delivering clean electricity to the power system in Nova Scotia, on the country’s Atlantic coast. The company’s system in Grand Passage is the first to deliver in-stream tidal power to the grid in Canada.

The system start-up is the culmination of more than a decade of research, development and testing, managing the technical challenges associated with operating in highly energetic environments and proving the ultra-low environmental impact of the tidal technology.

Sustainable Marine is striving to deliver the world’s first floating tidal array at FORCE (Fundy…

READ MORE

Germany considers U-turn on nuclear phaseout

READ MORE

Gov. Greg Abbott touts Texas power grid's readiness heading into fall, election season

READ MORE

trumps-proposal-on-ukraines-nuclear-plants-sparks-controversy

Trump's Proposal on Ukraine's Nuclear Plants Sparks Controversy

READ MORE

clock

Renewable growth drives common goals for electricity networks across the globe

READ MORE