太阳能行业24%的投资回报率引人注目。这种20年来由政府担保比率的现象应当拉响警钟。
本月初，安大略省政府宣布将其太阳能发电计划大幅削减。小规模、地面安装太阳的能装置的“入网补贴”从原来的80.2美分每千瓦时降至58.8美分每千瓦时。合格的屋顶太阳能项目则可享受慷慨的补贴。
这种太阳能电价补贴削减受到了环保主义者、农民（他们中的大多数认为太阳能是新的经济来源）以及销太阳能发电系统销售商的猛烈抨击。上周，全省环保专员加入反对者之列，Gord Miller要求有关就这些变化作出解释，他认为如不然，人们对安大略省绿色能源的承诺失去信心。
这样质疑McGuinty政府的绿色可再生承诺似乎有些牵强。最近，该省与三星集团签署的价值70亿美
随着“入网补贴”的变化，安大略省正急于就太阳能达成共识。
地面安装太阳能面板阵列比屋顶项目安装便宜得多，且运作也更为有效。因此，有人为省里如此“平等”的对待两个系统是个错误。
根据省内计算，一个小规模地面安装的太阳能项目可在短短7年内收回投资成本，并实现24%的投资回报率 – 远远超出屋顶项目的2倍。对此，安大略省做出了长达20年的保证。如此丰厚的回报吸引了数千家投机性的太阳能企业。他们许多人在收到许省的合同签前就动工建设，大多数人之水随波逐流，因此这些人成为新政政策最响亮的批评者也不足为奇。
作为一种清洁能源，也作为新的经济驱动器，可再生能源值得公众大力支持。合理的优惠待遇在刚刚起步的太阳能行业也是必要的。但政府的参与必须始终明智。 2010年安大略省平均市场电力率为3.6美分每千瓦时。即使58.8美分没千瓦时的入网补贴也是相当大的支持力度。
The prospect of a 24-per-cent return on investment should elicit attention. The prospect of such a rate guaranteed by government for 20 years should set off alarm bells.
Earlier this month, the Ontario government announced a dramatic cut in its solar-power program. The rate paid for electricity from small-scale, ground-mounted solar installations, what is called the “feed-in tariff,” was reduced from 80.2 cents per kilowatt hour to 58.8 cents per kWh. Rooftop solar projects still qualify for the more generous original rate.
This solar-power price chop has led to a barrage of criticism from environmentalists, farmers (many of whom see solar power as a new cash crop) and those selling solar-power systems. Last week the province's environmental commissioner entered the fray; Gord Miller demanded an explanation for the changes. Otherwise, “people will lose confidence in Ontario's commitment to green energy,” he said.
It seems rather far-fetched to question the McGuinty government's commitment to renewable power. If anything, the province has been all too eager to demonstrate its dedication. The recent $7-billion, 25-year deal with Samsung Group to build a green energy industry in the province has been properly criticized as improvident. Nonetheless, it represents a massive commitment.
With its changes to the feed-in tariffs, Ontario is leavening its commitment to solar power with a dash of common sense.
Ground-mounted solar-panel arrays are far cheaper to install and more efficient to operate than rooftop installations. It was thus a mistake for the province to treat both systems equally in the first place.
According to the province's calculations, a small-scale, ground-mounted solar project could pay back its capital costs in just seven years, and provide a return on investment of 24 per cent – more than twice what rooftop installations earn. And this is guaranteed by Ontario for 20 years. Such outsized returns attracted thousands of opportunistic solar-power entrepreneurs. Many built before they received provincial contracts, simply to beat the rush. Not surprisingly, these disappointed folks are the loudest critics of the new regime.
Renewable energy is deserving of public support, both as a source of clean power and as an economic driver. And it is reasonable that preferential treatment will be necessary at the nascent stages of this industry. But government involvement must always be judicious. The average 2010 market rate for electricity in Ontario is 3.6 cents per kWh. Even a feed-in tariff of 58.8 cents per kWh is a massive level of support.
The virtue of solar power alone cannot justify government guarantees of outrageous rates of return. And due diligence ought to be as important for green energy entrepreneurs as any other investors. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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