Hungary lags behind other European countries in solar energy utilisation

Budapest, August 6 (MTI) – Hungary lags behind other European countries in terms of the utilisation of solar energy, daily Népszabadság said on Saturday.

Figures by the Hungarian energy and public utility regulation authority show that despite doubling its solar power plant capacities in recent years, Hungary maintained its decade-long lag.

Head of the Hungarian solar panel association Ernő Kiss told the paper that the price of solar panels increased by around 5 percent after the introduction of a new tax last year and the market reacted by increasing the ratio of imports.

He cited the construction of a 16-megawatt solar power plant in the Mátra Power Station and the opening of a 10 megawatt solar power station in Pécs as positive but isolated developments.

Kiss insisted that solar panels represented one of the best forms of investment, resulting in higher yields over ten years than any bank saving, the paper said.

Source: MTI