Svensk Solenergi Against Swedish Grid Fee Rules

• Svensk Solenergi says Ei is contemplating allowing network operators to set their own electricity network fee for small scale power producers
• Ei believes following lower fee requirement of Swedish Electricity Act is in conflict with the EU's electricity market directive
• The association believes it could negatively impact around 130,000 small solar energy producers as homeowners, businesses and condominiums
• It has now called a meeting of 3 major electricity network operators in the country to make them see the benefits of small scale solar installations for the national grid

Sweden's Energy Market Inspectorate's (Ei) proposal to allow individual network operators to set their own electricity network fee for small scale producers will negatively impact at least 130,000 small scale solar power generators, according to local solar energy association Svensk Solenergi.

The Swedish solar energy association believes the affected solar power producers who will face the heat of this decision will be homeowners, condominiums and companies that have system sizes of up to 1.5 MW.

It has now invited 3 major network operators, that manage 60% of the national electricity networks, to a meeting to discuss how the implementation of this prospective increase can have major consequences for small scale solar producers.

Ei apparently sees the Swedish Electricity Act's directive of charging lower network fee from small scale producers as being in conflict with the European Union's (EU) electricity market directive. According to the association, Ei wants network operators to decide their own fee structure which will lead of increased costs for solar power producers.

Svensk Solenergi's CEO Anna Werner said at a time when there is a need to rapidly expand fossil-free fuels in Sweden, it is a 'shame if an over-implementation' of the EU's regulations gets in the way'.

Werner added, "In these times of economic unrest, paving the way for further increased costs for electricity producers is serious. Both Sweden and the EU want to make it easier and more affordable for everyone who uses their roofs for solar energy. Therefore, it is very surprising that Ei suggests a deterioration."

Svensk Solenergi recently said says country's green deduction support scheme led to the number of private individuals who have adopted solar to increase by 170% between 2021 and 2022.

The association said it will attempt to make sure that if the network operators go ahead with any increases for small scale producers of less than 1.5 MW capacity, they also see the benefit that these systems bring to the grid and to the environment. Government should make sure that tariffs of electricity network companies stimulate and not hinder renewable energy development going forward.

Earlier this month, the European Commission (EC) introduced its new EU electricity market design proposal to enhance the stability and predictability of energy costs across the bloc (see Renewables To Get Boost With EU Electricity Market Design).