The annual budget for solar rebates has been raised from SEK 390 million to SEK 915 million (US$102.5 million). Additional funds are intended to spur more growth and reduce waiting period for applicants. A commercial PV project developed by Eneo in Sweden. Image: Eneo Solutions The Swedish Energy Agency, Energimyndigheten has allocated an additional SEK 525 million ($58.8 million) for its 2018 solar rebate scheme, thus bringing the total funds available to SEK 915 million. Explaining the reason for the increase, Energimyndigheten’s managing director, Andreas Gustafsson, said, “There is still high pressure on applications, and many applicants may have to wait a long time for a grant. Now additional funds have been allocated until the end 2018, which will reduce the pressure and allow the county administrative authorities to decide on support as early as possible and reduce the frame time for applications.” Starting from this year, the percentage of rebates covering the cost of buying and installing a PV system – granted to homeowners, businesses and public organizations willing to go solar – has been raised from 20% to 30%. The maximum possible support per PV project is SEK 1.2 million (around $130,000), for a maximum of SEK 37,000 plus VAT per kW installed. Overall, the agency has devoted SEK 1.4 billion ($170 million) to the rebate program for the period 2009 to 2017. With this year’s budget, this sum will surpass SEK 2 billion, it said in its statement. In 2017, funds were also increased from an initial budget of 200 million SEK, to 400 million SEK. At the end of last year, Sweden reached a cumulative installed solar power of around 231 MW. This year may become a record for solar development in the country, however, not only as a result of the increased budget, but also due to several measures implemented by the Swedish government. These include: the cancellation of the solar tax for commercial PV; and the removal of the building permit for rooftop PV. Meanwhile, several initiatives for the construction of MW-sized solar parks have been announced. Emiliano joined pv magazine in March 2017. He has been reporting on solar and renewable energy since 2009. More articles from Emiliano Bellini
Sweden has more than doubled the money available for residential and workplace solar rebates to SEK915 m ( $ 102 million ) from SEK390 m . The aim of the extra money , available until the end of this year , is to accelerate growth and cut waiting periods for the rebates , which cover up to 30 % of the cost of buying and installing PV systems at private homes , businesses and public organisations , up from 20 % previously . The maximum cost available per project is SEK1.2 million . Sweden 's cumulative installed solar power capacity was 450 MW at the end of 2018 .