EPIA calls on EU to revise Environmental and Energy State Aid Guidelines
Post date: 03/03/2014
In an open letter to EU Commissioner for Competition Joaquín Almunia, the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), together with 27 other industry association representatives from the EU PV sector, expressed concerns about the Environmental and Energy State Aid Guidelines (EEAG) proposals recently put forward by the European Commission. The signatories claim that the proposals would seriously slow the deployment of PV and other renewables in Europe. Moreover, the signatories suggest several changes to the draft EEAG.
For one thing, the signatories believe that state aid should be granted on the basis of tailor-made, technology-specific support mechanisms. Support schemes should also address specific elements that are unique to each member state and should allow each member state to focus on specific technologies to drive down their learning curve. Furthermore, the signatories believe that existing support schemes should not be subject to modification based on the conditions put forward in the draft EEAG.
Regarding small-scale generation, the signatories are pushing to keep FIT programs where auctions are not suitable. FIT schemes, they say, should be allowed for small installations and cooperatives-driven projects for all technologies below a 5 MW threshold.
© PHOTON
