Usually
presented as a consultative model, the German method surprises us this time by
its brutality and magnitude of the cuts announced.
After Italy
and France, and while the British government is fighting to impose a similar
measure, it is Germany’s turn to announce an imminent and sharp decline of its
feed-in tariffs for electricity from photovoltaic origin. Announced for March
9, or within two weeks and four months ahead of schedule, this fall will be at
20-29%, depending on the facilities, two times larger than initially planned.
As a
consequence, it will be 13.5 cents per kilowatt/hour (kWh) for ground stations
up to 10 megawatts (MW) and between 1 and 10 MW. Beyond 10 MW, no central
recorded after July 1 will receive any subsidy. Installations on roofs less
than 1 MW will be paid 16.5 cents per kWh and those below 10 KW will receive
19.5 cents per kWh. In addition, the tariffs reduction will be spread spaciously
over time, on a monthly basis.
German Industrialists
Vulnerable
Usually
presented (including French manufacturers) as a model of anticipation and
cooperation for the development of these tariffs, the country seems to take
this time a step back. About fifty of them, including Solarworld and inverter
manufacturer SMA, has also demonstrated Friday, the day after the announcement,
brandishing the threat of thousands of job losses. And stock prices of major
industry players have lost 5% to 10%.
Faced with
these protests, ministers argue that the previous rate cuts did not prevent the
country to install 7.5 GW per year in 2010 and 2011, for an additional cost of
nearly $ 8 billion in the bill of consumer.
Basma –
International Green Energy Correspondent – 28/02/2012
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