Sweden’s renewable energy tax proposal under fire
Researchers and solar power advocates criticise the government’s plans to introduce a tax on renewable energies, Swedish Radio News reports.
Today, Swedes who choose to install solar panels on their properties pay less energy tax thanks to government subsidies. But last month, the government put forward a proposal to scrap the current tax break for renewable energy. The red-green government has defended its controversial proposal by underlining that the same proposal also aims to bring up the amount of renewable energy produced in Sweden and in Norway.
The two countries have had a common market for electricity certificates since 2012 in order to boost renewable energies in the region, but because of this both countries need to approve of any major changes to either country’s renewable energy policy and according to the government, Norway would only agree to boost the common goal if Sweden agreed to introduce a tax on renewable energies, Swedish Radio News reports.
Both the government’s own Energy Agency and solar power advocates have since criticised the proposal, saying that it hasn’t taken how the development of solar power in the country could be affected into account.
Researcher and solar power advocate Harald Överholm says to Swedish Radio that he believes that the government could have gotten away with only introducing the tax for businesses and left homeowners out of the proposal.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Indigenous leaders warn international community, continued tensions with Russia will harm Arctic, Eye on the Arctic
Denmark: Nordics to step up security cooperation on perceived Russian threat, Yle News
Finland: Finland’s president talks Arctic, Ukraine, Iran in phoner with Putin, Yle News
Norway: Norway must ramp up military in response to Russia: report, Barents Observer
Russia: Russian governor praises role of Barents Cooperation, Barents Observer
Sweden: Sunken Soviet submarines threaten massive radioactive contamination, Radio Sweden
United States: U.S. Arctic rep: Russia’s Arctic buildup not necessarily martial, Alaska Public Radio Network
