European Union Forums

[Steven]

A Japanese corporation "Itochu" envisages to invest about 1.1 billion dollars for building solar farms in Eastern Europe.
Japanese are smart enough they first make money by investing, and second - contribute to environment improvement. European countries should be grateful to Japan for this act.

[Terry]

solar energy equipment is very expensive, this amount is not enough for a huge solar park

[Benn]

their target is not contributing to the environment. What does Japan has nothing to do with the European environment. It's only about financial profit and nothing more. I would prefer Europe to produce solar parks itself for not applying to the Japanese.

[Terry]

Why is it about profit? This is not private business. How do they plan to pay back their investments? Maybe the citizens from Eastern European countries will pay additional taxes for that?

[Benn]

believe me, there are many ways for returning the investments and gain a lot profit. For example the european government may agree to pay them within 20 years a certain rate of the amount, or Europeans might pay them the money as taxes on environment

[Steven]

I would pay these taxes if I see concrete results. Why not? Environment is important

[Faw_Peter]

In Ontario 42 solar parks totalling 407 MW are going to be built. This will replace a significant share of traditional energy source.

[M.Helen]

I don't think all the citizens would agree to pay such taxes under the condition of so fast price raising. People are not ready yet to pay for environment.

[Faw_Peter]

solar parks as well as many other equipment and technology of non-traditional energy source production is the future of many businesses. People will get use to that.

[Terry]

I wouldn't like to fill sombody's pocket at my expense. Governments have enough reserves, so let them take care of the environment, we pay enough taxes.

[Faw_Peter]

If everybody thought like you do Terry, the environment would long time ago be dead.

[willyoumind]

The solar parks is a very good concept, but like some of you've said, it is better to open the solar parks by the Euro community, rather than depends on other country to do it!

[Benn]

of course, why should we allow other countries enter the European economy if Europe has enough money to invest in such projects.

[Karl.in.eu]

of course, why should we allow other countries enter the European economy if Europe has enough money to invest in such projects.

This is a real-life fact of the EU missing an initiative:
1-st on investing in a new branch of the economy of the future
2-dly to manifest a proper attitude regarding the environment

[M.Helen]

Karl I think the EU does have initiatives in investing in untraditional energy sources.

[Karl.in.eu]

Karl I think the EU does have initiatives in investing in untraditional energy sources.

Some facts please..

[Steven]

As far as I know, it was planned to reach the figure of 12% in the use of energy as alternative energy sources by the end of 2010. But, it is now understood that this rate will not exceed 6%.

[Karl.in.eu]

Quite a slow pace.
As scientists promised the oil resources to come to 0 in approximate 20 years, we won't reach a full cover of this sector with alternative energy resources.

[Steven]

6% is a quite big share. The matter concerns alternative energy, which is a worldwide issue, thereby it can't be solved fast.

[Karl.in.eu]

I meant that an energy crisis is inevitable.

[Faw_Peter]

if you do some calculations, you'll realize that alternative energy, at least in EU, is going to be used at full capacity by 2060-2080, while fuel, coal etc. is enough only until 2030-2050. So, yes, you are right, energy crisis is inevitable.

[Nicholas]

I hope we'll have some inventions by then. Scientists all over the world Go To Work!

[Terry]

I wonder many years a solar park may serve without reparations, anybody know?

[Nicholas]

In fact I was thinking about this several times. I imagine that building solar parks in countries with a tempered climate could be dangerous of the freezing rains and hailstorms. Those rains can be catastrophic for a solar panel, and I really don’t know if they are even water-resistant.