Sweden’s solar industry sees bright future despite shrinking subsidies
Over the past decade, solar power has experienced a dazzling pace of growth, thanks in part to government subsidies.
But the latest budget, voted through in December, is cutting that subsidy in half. The center-right budget from the conservative Moderates and Christian Democrats cut overall funding for the incentive, but sometime in January, a parliamentary committee will likely set the exact amount people can expect to be paid out.
Even so, the industry believes it can reach a place where solar panels can be competitive on their own. It may seem counter intuitive, but the Solar Energy Association of Sweden is actually calling for a planned phase-out of the subsidy. Find out why in this report.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Arctic Canadian town learns lessons from Alaskan wind farm, CBC News
Finland: Finnish energy sector’s emissions dropping sharply: report, Yle News
Norway: The quest to turn Norway’s Arctic coast into Northern Europe’s wind power hub, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Energy shift coming closer in Arctic Russia, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Northern Swedish city launches battery-powered bus route, The Independent Barents Observer
United States: Despite winter darkness, solar power might work better in rural Alaska than you’d expect, Alaska Dispatch News
