Yesterday it was British wind dying down, today it's Spanish sun going behind a cloud

[GliderGuider]

Spain's Solar Power Sector Falls into the Abyss

The Spanish government has launched a new regulatory framework that will result in subsidized tariffs for ground-mounted solar energy projects drop 45% this year, killing future investment in the trade, which industry leaders expect will be frozen in the next few years.

"We expect new ground-mounted projects will be paralyzed because there won't be any new investments," says Tomas Diaz, communications director of a trade lobby Asociación de la Industria Fotovoltaica (ASIF). "Last year, many projects were cancelled. Banks did not provide financing because of the regulatory uncertainty and electricity companies' growing campaign against the sector," he said, adding that utilities are working to bolster subsidies for their own renewable projects, most of which involve wind power.

Indeed, the Spanish solar industry has seen investment plunge in the past two years with only 100 MW of generating capacity having been installed in 2009 and 2010 - compared to 2,700 MW in 2008.

In addition, approximately 75,000 jobs have been lost with countless firms moving abroad to find new growth opportunities.

[Nihil]

1. *Sigh*

Someone's not been clapping hard enough.
:-(

[GliderGuider]

2. As a first approximation

In hard economic times, speculative projects like alt.energy are the first to be tossed into the financial garburator.

Unless the world economy recovers we won't see any glitter-dusted windmill dreams being realized.

Considering that the global industrial economy is about at the end of its run, it's about time to accept that alt.energy's day is done and to turn our attention to more practical matters. It was a nice dream, but in the end, that's all it was.

[joshcryer]

7. Eh, I'm still holding out for a magical CSP factory...

:hi:

[StarsInHerHair]

3. is Spain still in drought? gee I heard about solar HEAT

collectors, I'm watching Europe & the U.S. cutting themselves off at the knees because some Dumbos told them to do it.

[jpak]

5. All new Spanish buildings have to have solar appliances - solar hot water or PV

they will do just fine

yup

[joshcryer]

6. "they will do just fine"

And the lord almighty shall come and save the world in the rapture. :rofl:

[StarsInHerHair]

9. good to hear

do you think Arizona will follow suit? It's mostly desert in AZ, I'd think they'd be rain-caching like their lives depended on it.

[jpak]

4. LOL!! This was the result of poor policy execution & the Recession - not *THE END*

Unlike Germany, Ontario, Italy and other EU countries Spain's solar tariffs were poorly structured and executed.

They created an unsustainable boom in a recession that had to be dialed back.

If anyone actually bothered to read the article - solar tariffs were reduced but not eliminated for the large ground mounted projects and were maintained for rooftop arrays.

The article also stated that Spain will reach its goal of 4000 MW of PV capacity and 47% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

try again

:rofl:

[Kolesar]

8. thanks...eom