solar tax

With her first official announcement, Spain’s incoming Minister of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera has made it clear that the previous government’s reviled tax on distributed generation array, the so-called ‘sun tax’ will be eliminated. At the same time, she has confirmed her support for more ambitious EU renewable energy targets.

According to reports, India is planning to impose a 7.5% tax on imported solar PV modules.

The so-called “prosumer tax” was introduced in July 2015 and applies to residential PV systems not exceeding 10 kW installed under net metering.

The energy regulator of the Belgian French-speaking region has announced the grid-fee will come into force in 2020, and not in 2019 as previously planned. PV systems operators are expected to pay an annual fee ranging from €330 to €560.

Another commercial rootop PV system will be connected at a port’s facility on July 1, the same day in which the cancelation of the solar tax for commercial PV will be removed.

In tweet sent yesterday, India revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia said that all solar equipment will be subject to only 5% Goods and Services Tax, allaying fears cells and modules would be placed in 18% bracket.

The government said the tax is expected to reduce budget expense from DKK 4.9 billion to DKK 3.7 billion, and to slow faster than expected development of solar.

The increased Goods and Services Tax rate for solar cells and modules is in part a response to the technology’s ability to “stand on its own two feet”, says energy minister.

The tax was applied to PV installations for self-consumption with a capacity of over 255 kW. The move is expected to revive Sweden’s solar market after the disappointing performance (due to the tax) registered last year.

According to a scientific paper from the Université libre de Bruxelles, even a further reduction in storage prices may not be sufficient to make solar-plus-storage attractive in the Belgian market.