PV Legal launches study into European renewables usage

February 10, 2012
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

PV LEGAL has conducted a two-and-a-half-year initiative investigating the extent of renewable energy up-take in Europe. The study found France, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal have all been successful in encouraging access to renewable energy. However, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria and the UK are yet to make satisfactory progress. Bureaucracy has been credited and blamed for the successes and failures of governments to invest effectively in renewables. PV LEGAL was funded by the European Commission’s Intelligent Energy Europe program.

Dave Sowden, chief executive of the Micropower Council, one of the PV Legal Partners, said, “Although there has been considerable progress in the UK towards the removal of administrative obstacles, there are still several barriers around grid connection for installations larger than 4kW and building control requirements for domestic installations that must be addressed. Removal of unnecessary legal and administrative hurdles will be a key factor in bringing down the installed cost of solar PV, helping the industry to reduce its dependence on subsidy over time and increasing affordability.”
.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of February. In May, a new project called PV GRID will begin a deep analysis of PV grid integration. It will continue the work started by PV LEGAL working in cooperation with stakeholders, including distribution system operators.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Read Next

Premium
January 12, 2026
December 2025 saw record solar generation in Australia's NEM, with rooftop and utility-scale solar surging, but pricing volatility persisted.
January 11, 2026
Yanara has selected Gamuda Australia as the project delivery partner for the early contractor involvement phase of the Mortlake Energy Hub in Victoria.
January 9, 2026
The Chinese Ministry of Finance and the Taxation Administration issued an adjustment of export rebate policies for solar PV products and other items.
January 9, 2026
China’s market supervision body has warned of monopoly risks in the plans to consolidate the country’s polysilicon sector.
Premium
January 9, 2026
PV Tech Premium spoke with Crux on the trends to look forward in 2026 in the clean energy transferable tax credit market.
January 9, 2026
The US has withdrawn from a number of UN climate organisations, including the Framework Convention on Climate Change, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland