You know, I’d have expected there to be many more solar panels on roofs here. Given that insolation is miles better here than Finland, the pay back period for installation must be much shorter. I’ve asked around a little and heard that installation is very expensive. I don’t have numbers yet on relative installation cost (and if you do – please share), but this seems to me to be a relatively cheap and easy fix to natural gas dependency (for hot water and power both).
And that’s the thing. There are a lot of small apartment buildings and single family homes in Croatia, all of which are possible installation points for simple solar water heaters. Which cost essentially nothing to run.
Likewise electricity – there are a few buildings with panels, but I expected more. Electricity here has historically been more expensive than in Finland (because more of it is fossil based).
So my question is; what’s holding back installations? Even if installation costs are higher than Finland, the investment pay back should be far better. Is it supply? Is it lack of incentives? or is there some other motivational background factor at work? If you know, say. I’ll post again on this at some point if I get a better idea about what’s going on.
Just thoughts – next topic should be palm oil related as I’m finally getting back into my own stuff.