Encouraging people to go solar may be great overall public policy unless a protected industry is harmed.
According to Energias Renovable (Google link to English translation from Spanish), the Spain’s Secretary of State for Energy, Alberto Nadal, has signed a draft royal decree taxing energy derived from photovoltaic installation.
The Spanish government has harkened to the pleas of an industry group. The consumption tax was supported by the Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF), which brings together some 300 companies representing 85% of the industry.
El Pais writes that becoming energy self-sufficient could become very expensive. Collecting photons of sunlight for your own use could lead to a fine of 30 million euros.
Hat tip, Mish’s Global Economic Trend Analysis.
3 Comments
Apple
Does this mean the Spanish government and Spanish Photovoltaic Union can tax your plants photosynthesis ?
Indy Ecologist
As the title says they’d effectively be taxing sunlight. Why not tax the air that’s used to burn fuel in your motor while they’re at it.
It wouldn’t (shouldn’t) stand up in court. If it does……
laforge
reminds me of pitt’s window tax in georgian england, nonsense. next would be wind power and what about wood from your own land as fuel?.. slippery slope madness. gotta be illegal.