In recent years, solar cell installations have increased by 50-80 percent annually and the support money is not enough. This year, the government will allocate a total of SEK 1.2 billion for more people to install solar cells. In 2020, 835 million of the budget is estimated to go towards solar cell support.

"If we were to graze the entire sex that is in Sörmland right now, it would need SEK 55 million," says Bengt Nordström, who is the housing director for the County Administrative Board in Södermanland County.

760 applications queued

Sörmland has just received SEK 7 million from the Swedish Energy Agency to process applications submitted through December 2018. But the gender is still long.

- There have been 851 applications in the past year and we currently have 760 applications that have not been processed. We can only process applications when we have money, ”says Bengt Nordström.

The grant money is distributed from the Swedish Energy Agency every three months and it is not possible to say how many applications can be processed at a given time.

- We never know how much money we will get, it depends on what the government's budget looks like at the time. We also set aside a lot of money when it comes to applications.

The contribution is reduced

As of May 8, 2019, the highest photovoltaic support that can be provided is 20 percent of the investment cost. Previously, those who applied could receive support for up to 30 percent of the installation cost.

- It is the Swedish Energy Agency that made the decision on the reduction and that is because more people should be able to take part in this grant.

In Sörmland, since the state aid was introduced in 2009, a total of 2,200 applications have been received and so far the Sörmlanders have received SEK 120 million in photovoltaic grants.