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Solar PV capacity in the Ukraine is set to double in 2012, as a result of generous renewable incentives. Europe’s second-largest country currently hosts Europe’s biggest photovoltaic plant, a 100MW behemoth installed by Activ Solar GmbH last year, and is set to benefit from continued investment due to the scaling back of feed-in tariff schemes across Europe.
Updated: Due to an aggressive FiT cut of between 20% for residential and 30% for large-scale PV installations, the German government will introduce the FiT cuts from March 9, 2012 to eliminate a rush of installations to beat the tariff change. However, this would first need to be ratified in the cabinet and parliament, which could be sanctioned next week.
With only three out of 54 of Japan’s nuclear power stations still functioning following the Fukishima crisis, it is encouraging to know sales of solar cells rose by 30.7% last year. Government subsidies have helped sales to top 1,000MW for the first time.
The Italian government has made almost 70 amendments to the draft of Article 65, applicable to solar installations on land that could be used for agriculture.
A petition, sent by 40 representatives of energy and environmental agencies, has fallen on deaf ears.
In addition to the 8% FiT cuts made in January, effective March 1 the Swiss Federal Department of Energy (DETEC) will further reduce the FiTs for PV power plants by 10% for new facilities.
Following consultations with stake holders and environmental organisations, the Greek Ministry of Environment has published new FiTs for PV installations, effective February 1. The tariff for PV systems up to 100kW and for systems installed on non-interconnected islands has been reduced by 12.5% compared to the previous rate introduced in 2009. The new tariff will be further reduced by 7% every six months until August 2014.
The Chinese Ministry of Finance has announced that it has changed certain FiT regulations, claiming this will speed up domestic large-scale applications of PV power generation and promote sustained and steady development of the PV industry. This will apply to grid-connected PV installations.
The abyss of debt Spain is currently tumbling into has come to the attention of the European Commission. Following the government’s decision to halt renewable energy subsidies due to an overwhelming debt owed to the industry, the European Commission feels that such a seemingly rash judgment could have a devastating impact on investment opportunities and therefore contrary to what the government wants to achieve.
In recent days amendments to the FiT in Italy come come thick and fast. Italian press agency Agi has reported that pro-solar associations in Italy are contesting the recent proposals to change the FiT, particularly in relation to PV greenhouses.
