The development of solar energy: legal expectations and public interest

Energijos gamyba iš atsinaujinančiųjų energijos išteklių yra skatinama visose valstybėse narėse įgyvendinant ES atsinaujinančiųjų energijos išteklių direktyvą. Direktyva nenustato atsinaujinančiųjų energijos išteklių skatinimo būdų ir metodų. Kiekviena valstybė narė turi pasirinkti jos ekonomines, gamtines sąlygas geriausiai aptinkančius skatinimo būdus. Nustatant skatinimo būdus yra visada būtina išlaikyti balansą tarp siekio pritraukti privačius investuotojus į atsinaujinančiosios energetikos vystymą ir skatinimo priemonėmis nesukurti nepagrįstų viršpelnių privačiam verslui. Šios straipsnio tikslas apžvelgti saulės energetikos plėtros skatinimo schemą ir teisinio reguliavimo pokyčius lėmusius teisminius ginčus tarp privačių investuotojų ir valstybėsImplementing Renewable energy directive all EU Member States promotes the production of energy from renewable energy sources. The Directive does not set the methods or schemes of renewable energy promotion. Every Member State can choose the most suitable promotion measure depending on its economical or environmental conditions. The enacted promotion measures have to keep balance between the aim to attract private investors and not to generate unreasonable profit for private business. In Lithuania the government set unreasonably high feed in tariff for purchasing electricity produced from solar energy. Later this feed in tariff was reduced; however it caused a huge discontent of private investors and litigations in the courts. The aim of the article is to analyze the changes of legal regulation in the promotion scheme of solar energy, which caused legal disputes in the court between private investors and government. In order to reach above mentioned aim the raised tasks are: (1) to analyze the schemes of solar energy promotion and changes in legal regulation; (2) to examine the case law; (3) to examine the practice of foreign countries in developing renewable energy. Legal expectations can be limited only by the reason of public interest. However the public interest not always has to override the private interest. In solar energy case two protected interests have confronted. The legal expectations of the private investors were infringed by the changes of legal regulation in promotion scheme of solar energy. The government grounded necessity of such changes on protection of public interest. The development of renewable energy is very closely connected to the governmental policy. Irrational schemes of renewable energy promotion are harmful to the national economy and private business. The governments should create long-term renewable energy policies. [...]Privatinės teisės katedraTeisės fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta