Salvia walks in front of solar panels at a small solar farm in Linyola
Ramon Salvia walks in front of solar panels at a small solar farm in Linyola, northeastern Spain, June 18, 2013. Small-scale photovoltaic (PV) energy producers started investing in solar panels when the government was offering lucrative subsidies under a decade-long drive to become a global leader in green energy. But a prolonged economic recession and a yawning budget gap forced Madrid to pull back its support for renewables, and more cuts are on the way, threatening major losses on personal investments and even defaults on bank loans. Banks financed 80 percent of a total 25 billion euros ($33.5 billion) invested in PV installations in Spain, according to industry association ANPIER. Picture taken June 18, 2013. REUTERS/Albert Gea (SPAIN - Tags: BUSINESS POLITICS ENERGY ENVIRONMENT)