Renewable energy rip offs by states and their electricity supply monopolies!

This report of growing bankruptcies amongst companies supplying solar panels in Germany from Der Spiegel, linked here, brought a wry smile to my lips.

In my remote rural part of France, a year or so ago, we were inundated by a plethora of telesales calls regarding renewable energy investments of all kinds and varieties. On top of this hard selling a rumour also went the rounds that the Germans were attempting, indeed were about to succeed in cornering the market in whatever rare earth element it was that made these technological wonders work. Whether as a result of the former (or more probably to forestall the latter, in this once German occupied region of South West France) pretty soon projects were springing up everywhere as can be seen from these snaps taken today, all no further than about half a mile from my house.

Now I am not as trusting as my neighbours and did not join the rush to cash in on this supposed bonanza. After all revenue would only come from a Government source or a wholly state-owned energy utility.Optimistic pricing levels would need to be paid over many years!

One neighbour has had the base for the solar panels sitting empty for some months, maybe he too is having second thoughts?

The windmill in the top picture seemed to have some installation hiccups and rarely turned even in the strongest winds during its first year, a situation its owner and neighbours now heartily wish might return I presume, as the noise reaches severe levels!

So how many years will it take for some payment or yield to materialise? Will future Governments honour their deals as Sovereigns default and the whole euro currency self-dectructs?

In the Charente the growing yield from the land and its livestock, is called "le croit vîf", happily some local farmers still recognise what that requires, and it is nothing to do with the EU nor its member Governments or Commission!

 

There is a fresh report this evening on the bankruptcies in the German solar panel sector, those who like a chuckle can read it from here.