The Ministry of Industry has recently announced a special tax on solar-panel batteries (accumulators) to discourage power storage. The tax varies between 8.9 euros and 15.3 euros per kilowatt.

If you do have solar panels but are connected up to the power grid, as a back-up, then this will affect you. Only solar-panel installations that are not connected up to the power grid will not be affected.

This decision includes both separate accumulators and ones that are already incorporated into the solar panels.

A previous law brought out at the end of 2013 already penalizes homeowners that opted for self-sufficiency in domestic energy needs, just when many were expecting the Government to encourage green-energy use. The tax is so heavy that it makes more sense to close down your solar-energy system and just use the power grid.

Things have come around 360 degrees from the days of the Zapatero Government when energy companies were obligated to purchase surplus energy from domestic producers at a higher rate than they could sell it for.

(News: Spain)