Exploring Government Incentives for Solar Energy Surplus
Discover how governments around the world are incentivizing homeowners and businesses to invest in solar energy surplus, from generous feed-in tariffs to attractive tax breaks…
As more and more countries are beginning to recognize the importance of renewable energy, particularly solar energy, new technological advancements have been developed in order to make them increasingly affordable. This has led to many governments around the world implementing incentives to encourage the uptake of solar energy.
Let’s take a look at five countries that have different takes on using solar energy surplus, and explore the incentives they offer.
Germany
Germany is one of the world’s leading countries in terms of renewable energy production, with approximately 40% of their electricity coming from sources such as wind, solar and biomass.
The German government offers generous feed-in tariffs for homeowners who generate a surplus from their solar panels — up to €0.14/kWh for rooftop installations. Homeowners can also benefit from net metering, which allows them to sell any excess solar electricity they generate back into the grid in return for credits or cash payments.
United States
The US has made major strides in recent years in terms of increasing renewable energy production, particularly in states like California where they have ambitious goals for transitioning away from fossil fuels towards renewables such as wind and solar power.
Homeowners who generate a surplus with their residential solar systems can benefit from net metering laws in some states, which allow them to be paid for any extra electricity they send back into the grid at retail rates (although this varies by state).
For more details on USA, you can check out our blogpost where we discuss their incentives with more depth.,
China
China is quickly becoming one of the world’s leaders when it comes to renewable energy production — especially when it comes to photovoltaics (PV) technology used for generating electricity from sunlight (solar PV).
The Chinese government offers generous feed-in tariffs for homeowners who generate a surplus with their rooftop PV systems, up to ¥0.8/kWh, as well as attractive subsidies on equipment costs that make going solar much more affordable than ever before.
India
India is another country that has been making huge strides towards transitioning away from traditional sources of power generation towards renewables such as wind and solar power, particularly over the last few years since launching its ambitious National Solar Mission back in 2010.
Because of the air pollutions and total population, the Indian government had to be more creative and assertive when it comes to going solar. Homeowners who generate a surplus with their PV systems can benefit from various tax incentives such as accelerated depreciation deductions which make going solar much more attractive than before for Indian citizens.
Australia
Australia has long been considered one of the most advanced countries when it comes to renewable energy technology and again, their major focus have been on solar power.
The Australian government offers generous feed-in tariffs for homeowners who install residential PV systems on their rooftops, up to A$0.11/kWh depending on where you live, as well as attractive subsidies on equipment costs that make going green much easier. Their approach is like a mixture of Asian and European policies, sort of a all-in-one package.
Overall, there are many different incentives available around the world for those looking to take advantage of excess solar power generated through residential installations or commercial operations alike! Each country has its own approach towards encouraging citizens and businesses alike to invest in this clean form of power generation, so be sure do your research before making your decision! What other countries are you curious about? Let us know and we will discuss them the next time around.
