Monday 4 June 2012

Funny things happen when you slash solar subsidies

The Spanish market went from being the largest in the world, at 2.7 GW, in 2008 to installing 17 megawatts — a drop of 99 percent — after subsidies were slashed and a cap on new installations was imposed.

Link

Fancy that! It really shows that solar power = subsidies + sunlight.

11 comments:

Rob said...

You really are good at cherry picking data aren't you, I can't for the life of me think of anything else going on in Spain that might confound economic data. Regardless I hardly think anyone would be surprised that a sudden precipitous withdrawal of subsidies AND a government mandated installation cap might dampen demand, what a shock.

Why don't we look at our own country. In 2009 the subsidy was changed from $8 per watt to a market traded certificate system. The multiplier on the certificates has been gradually phased to avoid the negative effects of precipitous poorly planned withdrawal of incentive programs. Since that time the average subsidy has fallen from about $5 per watt to ~$1.20 per watt through 2011 and now down to ~$0.80 per watt, a 90% fall from 2008 levels. Cumulative installation have grown exponentially through that time, 29.3Mw in 2008, 111.9 in 2009, 492.7 Mw in 2010 and 1031.1 Mw in 2011. So much for installation crashing as subsidies are phased out.

Minicapt said...

Rob
How much are you being paid to post your drivel?

Cheers

Rob said...

Nothing, what exactly about it is drivel? they're simple verifiable numbers about size of rebates and the annual installed capacity. If you want to rebut the info then rebut the info, making baseless accusations and petty criticisms of an individual because you don't agree with their point of view is a little sad.

1735099 said...

Rob
That's about the limit of Minicapt's capabilities. I've never seen him post anything else.

Anonymous said...

Hey Rob,

You whinge at BOAB for cherry picking data; then you cherry pick data in your post.

Now, re-read your reply to Minicapt and then apply it to your first comment.

Hilarious.

Rob said...

I didn't call his information drivel and I didn't accuse him of being a paid shill so I fail to see your point. As for my cherry picking I call it presenting an opposing view and some evidence for it.

Anonymous said...

This was a really good blog until the usual suspects turned up.

Maybe when the Bunyip returns they'll latch back on to him hoping for oxygen. What is it with leftards pissing on everything like feral dogs?

1735099 said...

What is it with anonymous individuals substituting abuse and name-calling for debate and arguement?

Anonymous said...

Gee Numbers, you start the personal abuse and now you can't take it? Get out of the kitchen dude...

Rob said...

Yeh numbers comment was on the same level as "What is it with leftards pissing on everything like feral dogs?" it seems that if someone presents an alternative view the closest thing to a rebuttal is vulgar insults or baseless accusations.

Rob said...

I'm sure it was an oversight but what you missed was that solar installations last year were 400MW. The Spanish grid operators latest production report shows solar PV produced 4.5% of total energy demand in May and solar thermal another 1.6%. Total renewables on the Spanish grid supplied 37% of may's demand. Sounds like Spanish renewables and solar are really languishing hey BOAB?

http://www.ree.es/ingles/sala_prensa/web/notas_detalle.aspx?id_nota=240