Feed-In Tariffs
- CSP Feed-in Tariffs Guide (2011)-
Written to support CSP Today’s 2011 concentrated solar power (CSP) event in Seville, this report provides an overview of the regulatory incentives schemes that exist to support the concentrated solar thermal industry around the world. It summarises the incentives and targets for CSP in nine countries: USA, South Africa, India, Spain, Morocco, Italy, Greece, and Portugal. For each, the feed-in tariffs, tax credits, or subsidies are specified and explained by different industry experts.
Author: CSP Today
Year: 2011
- Spain: Plans for a Solar Thermal Feed-in tariff for ESCOs -
The Spanish solar thermal market again suffered from a slowdown in 2010. According to the latest market survey by the Spanish Solar Thermal Association ASIT, the 2010 market volume of 244 MWth (348,000 m2) is 14 % below the result of 2009. The light blue columns in the chart show the real sales volume in a specific year, whereas the dark blue columns stand for the targets of the Renewable Energy Plan. ASIT is fighting hard for a new incentive scheme which could bring the market back to significant growth rates and has announced its first results.
Figure: ASIT - Italy: Political Frame Condition Update-
The change at the helm of government in Italy has already had some positive effects on the solar thermal sector. The tax credit extensions were confirmed earlier than in the years before. At the beginning of December, the government approved the extension until 31 December 2012 under the current conditions. If they had not done so, the tax reduction would have expired at the end of 2011. According to the current regulations – in place since January 2011 – residential customers can deduct 55 % of the investment costs from their income tax during a period of 10 years.
- Regulatory Framework for CST Promotion (2010)-
This presentation was made during the Southern African Regional Workshop on Concentrating Solar Thermal Power that took place in Botswana in May 2010. The event was organised by the Energy Anchor (ETWEN) and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and co-sponsored by the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Resources of the Government of Botswana.
- Switzerland: Solar Thermal Industry calls for Rooftop Privileges-
Reserving the roofs of residential houses in Switzerland for solar thermal installations: This is the major item from the request by the two well-known solar thermal manufacturers in Switzerland, Jenni Energietechnik and Soltop Schuppisser.
Photo: Jenni - Italy: Law 28 lays Foundation for Renewable Heat Feed-in Tariff- Italy is among the countries which have declared ambitious targets for the solar heating and cooling sector in its National Renewable Energy Action Plan. The administration made the first step towards reaching those aims by implementing Law Number 28, approved on 3 March (see the attached document in Italian).
The law includes several important items with regard to the solar thermal sector:
- Schemes for Subsidizing Renewable Energy Driven Desalination (2010) -
This report was released as part of the Project ProDes (Promotion of Renewable Energy for Water production through Desalination). The project ProDes (2008-2010) brings together 14 European organisations in order to support the market development of renewable energy desalination technology in Southern Europe.
- Sonnenkraft: “We Have a Responsibility to Innovate and Develop Solar Energy”-
With the expansion to the United Kingdom and Switzerland, Sonnenkraft’s network of sales offices now spans across nine countries. When adding the company’s partnerships in other markets, the manufacturer is among the solar thermal businesses with the most extensive market coverage across Europe. Solarthermalworld.org spoke to Magnus Wallin (left), who has been Director of new and emerging markets in Sonnenkraft since 2008, and Torben Sørensen (right), CEO of SolarCAP since 2010 (the Danish holding company of Sonnenkraft – among other companies) who came from a position as CEO of Faber and Benthin Group (subsidiaries of VKR Holding), about the market potential in different European countries and the company’s future growth strategy.
Photos: Sonnenkraft - Spain: Governmental Decree Stops Electricity Feed-in Tariff-
At the beginning of 2012, the new Spanish government showed its aversion to renewable energies very clearly. In Royal Decree Law 1/2012 (PDF attached) from 27 January 2012, the government announced the complete suspension of all feed-in tariffs for renewable electricity, whether the energy is produced by cogeneration, waste, photovoltaics or concentrated solar power. However, the government assured that the new legislation does not affect systems that have already been in place or have already been approved for the feed-in tariff.
- Netherlands: Feed-in Tariff Might Help Cope with Duurzame Warmte Stop-
Last year’s sudden stop of the incentive programme Duurzame Warmte resulted in a drawback for the Dutch solar thermal industry. Still, Arthur de Vries from Holland Solar is convinced that 2012 and 2013 will be different: Probably even within the first quarter of this year, the Netherlands is going to have its own feed-in-tariff for renewable heat. Energy performance of new and existing buildings will be tested under stricter requirements and several provinces have launched their own incentive programme. The figure shows the annual installed solar thermal capacity in the Netherlands. It has increased significantly since the start of the Duurzame Warmte programme in September 2008.
Figure: ESTIF - Spain: Export Helps Solar Thermal Industry Survive-
One of the biggest Spanish collector manufacturers, Termicol, can still celebrate its 10th anniversary this year. The company has managed to counter the decline in the Spanish market by expanding its business abroad. Today, the export of collectors generates 20 % of the company´s turnover. With its own brand, Termicol claims a market share of around 10 % in its home country.
Photo: Termicol - Solar Energy – Upside for Downstream (2010)-
The report published in 2010 by the Silvia Quandt Research deals with the downstream segment of the solar industry, highlighting its potential for investors. Starting from the case of feed-in tariffs in Germany, the report analyses not only key markets, but also the activities of leading companies in this sector.
- Solar Thermal Power Plants –Firm Capacity with 100% Renewables (2009)-
This is a presentation from the company Solar Millennium AG, made during the CUEN (Cambridge University Energy Network) 3rd annual energy conference in June 2009. It provides an overview of solar energy capacity, opportunities, technologies and market evolution possibilities. After a brief panorama of the world’ solar potential, by geographical location and type of technology, the authors explain the evolution of solar technologies since 1912 until now.
- Greece: Residential PV Feed-in Tariff Requires Renewable Heating Installation -
The statement "Photovoltaics is strong competition" resulted in different responses among the solar industries of different countries. Greece is one of the countries where the industry does not agree with it. Source: solrico
- Success Story: Feed-In Tariffs Support Solar Thermal Power in Spain (2008)-
This document explains how feed-in tariffs (FIT) contributed to the success of solar thermal energy in Spain, especially concentrating solar power (CSP). The document provides a comprehensive introduction to feed-in tariffs, its use in Spain, the main elements of the Spanish legislation and how the feed-in tariffs schemes were adapted to CSP technology The first royal decree introducing feed-in tariffs for solar thermal power was introduced in 2002 and was updated in 2006 and 2007.
- Feed-In Tariffs Support Solar Thermal Power in Spain-
This document explains how the use of Feed-In Tariffs has been beneficial for the development of concentrating solar power (CSP) in Spain. A Feed-In Tariff ensures that the entrepreneurs’ electricity will be bought at a guaranteed rate for a fixed period of time.
