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The Italian government has put to rest the speculation surrounding its fifth Conto Energia. However, it appears the speculators were correct in their assumptions. New decrees have been set up to drastically cut the budget for solar incentives. A budget of €500 million has been proposed for the next two and a half years. The new scheme will come into effect on July 1 or once the €6 billion annual program cap has been reached.
In a bid to curb the uncertainty currently plaguing the solar industry, Lux Research has released a report stating that although solar installations will stall this year, businesses have nothing to fear. The report Market Size Update 2012: The Push to a Post-Subsidy Solar Industry states manufacturers will still be able to make rapid strides if they take advantage of emerging markets and will be able to find sustained growth even without government subsidies
Subsequent to the completion of the 10MW plant in Gujarat, Wararee has announced it has won an order to supply water pumps to the government of Rajasthan. Under the JNNSM & RKVY solar incentive policies, Waaree will provide 154 solar pumps.
Los Angeles city council has approved a feed-in tariff programme to generate 10MW supplying 10,000 households a year. The city’s Department of Water and Power will raise US$3 million each year to help the utility develop a pricing plan for residents. This pilot programme will take effect in the coming months.
As per the modifications to the German Renewable Energy Act last week, effective April 1st, 2012, new feed-in tariff payments for rooftop PV plants smaller than 10kW will be €0.195/kWh (USD$0.261/kWh). The rates for rooftop PV up to 1MW will be €0.165/kWh (USD$0.221/kWh) and rates for ground-mounted and rooftop PV of 1-10MW in size will be €0.135/kWh (USD$0.180/kWh).
The German Bundestag has voted in favour of cuts in solar incentives and approved new guidelines for renewable energies. With a majority of votes from the coalition, the law to change regulation regarding renewable energies (17/8877) passed the Bundestag on Thursday.
Japan’s new feed-in tariff, implementation is anticipated to be July, is set to generate highly attractive returns, according to clean energy market research provider, Bloomberg Energy Finance. As long as the proposed scheme is able to off-set the expensive price of solar, it could lead to a surge in project proposals.
The World Trade Organization in Geneva was the setting for the landmark case against Canada. Brought to the stage last year by Japan, with the EU joining the fracas later in the year, the three-person dispute panel heard the arguments against Ontario’s contentious domestic content requirements as set out in its feed-in tariff.
The Italian PV association, Gruppo Imprese Fotovoltaiche Italiane (GIFI), had previously demanded the government provide verification for the drafts of the new energy bill to replace Conto Energia four floating around the internet. However, market research company Jefferies, following its attendance at a photon conference has advised caution to its investors to not believe a fifth energy bill has already been released. The government is to announce its decision either late spring or early summer.
The German government has announced FiTs will be cut by 1% each month to commence in May and to run until November. However, the degression each month in the third quarter will be dependent on the number of new installations completed up until November. Effective February 2013, the FiT degression will depend on the number of new installations in the fourth quarter of 2012.
