Sweden tops 140 MW of installed PV capacity

Sweden has topped 140 MW of cumulative installed PV capacity as of the end of December 2016, according to the latest statistics from Swedish energy agency Energimyndigheten. Newly installed capacity for 2016 was approximately 13 MW. In 2015 and 2014, the country saw the addition of around 37.6 MW and 36.2 MW, respectively.

Last year’s poor performance was likely due to a new tax on solar energy introduced in early 2016. The tax, which the current government is now seeking to abolish through a new law draft, requires operators of PV systems with capacity over 225 kW to pay SEK 0.295 ($0.03) per kWh. If the new proposal is approved, the tax will be reduced by 98% to SEK 0.005 (0.0005$) per kWh.

Furthermore, Energimyndigheten reports that, of the cumulative capacity, 52% is represented by PV systems up to 20 kW (73.7 MW), while installations ranging in size from 20 kW to 1 MW (62.4 MW) account for 44% of the installed power. PV plants exceeding 1 MW only cover 4% of capacity with 4.7 MW. Around 40% of this power is located in the provinces of Västra Götaland, Stockholm and Skåne.

Energimyndigheten provided SEK 225 million ($25.6 million) in funds for the support of residential and commercial PV projects in 2017. In 2016, the agency allocated the same sum, while in 2015 SEK 150 million ($17.1 million) was provided. Overall, the agency has allocated SEK 885.5 million ($98 million) in the period between 2009 and 2016 through the program.

Under the program, homeowners and private or public companies are entitled to receive a rebate that covers part of the cost of installing a PV system. A single PV project is eligible to receive financial support up to a maximum SEK 1.2 million ($136,742). The cost of a project cannot exceed SEK 37,000 ($4,216) per kW installed.