A proposed increase in France’s tax on wind turbine installations is unfair and may slow planned expansion of the alternative energy, a trade organisation said.

The proposed tax is contained in an amendment to a bill under consideration by parliament that would eliminate France’s professional tax. It’s aimed at getting the “very profitable” wind power industry to “contribute more significantly” to local government finances, according to the amendment on the Web site of the Senate. The high rates paid for wind by consumers are “difficult to justify,” according to the proposal.

France has sought to boost wind power to as much as 25,000 megawatts of installed capacity by 2020 from 3,400 megawatts at the start of this year. The government has said it wants to surpass the EU target and has promoted wind parks as the biggest contributor to the alternative-energy boom, anticipating investment of 15 billion euros over the period.

See Bloomberg 17th December for the full article.