Marios Drousiotis, President of the Consumers’ Association, expressed reservations regarding both the changes to self-generation plans and the ongoing cuts to photovoltaic subsidies. Speaking on the Alpha Kalimera program, he argued that the reduction in VAT on photovoltaic installations is a positive development, however, the actual benefit for new consumers should be considered in conjunction with the transition from net metering to net billing.
Mr. Drousiotis noted that reducing the VAT on the cost of installing photovoltaic systems had been a long-standing demand of the Consumers’ Association. According to him, the benefit for a new installation can amount to approximately 500 euros; however, new consumers are no longer eligible to join the previous net metering program.
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“If I have net metering, over 15 years I’ll save more than the 500 euros that someone else—who doesn’t have it—will receive,” he said, arguing that the VAT reduction should not be viewed in isolation from the overall change to the compensation system for generated electricity.
The President of the Consumers’ Association also specifically addressed the issue of production curtailments from photovoltaic systems, stating that, despite previous discussions, no definitive solution has been found to date. According to him, there are even cases where curtailments are being applied to installations where there is no such provision in the consumer’s contract.
As he noted, the issue remains unresolved despite the commitments made to seek alternative solutions, with the result that owners of photovoltaic systems continue to see part of their output curtailed during periods of high production.
