Title: Solar power plant and sustainable rural development in Slovenia

Authors: Štefan Bojnec; Drago Papler

Addresses: Faculty of Management Koper,University of Primorska, Cankarjeva 5, SI 6000 Koper, Slovenia ' Elektro Gorenjska, Ulica Mirka Vadnova 3a, SI 4000 Kranj, Slovenia

Abstract: This paper investigates potentials and opportunities in the development of solar power plants in rural areas in Slovenia as a supplementary or as an entrepreneurial activity to generate incomes and sustainable rural development. The focus is on agricultural household buildings. The estimated viability of the solar power plant investment is sensitive to the size of the surface areas of the buildings, flows of investment costs and revenues, including revenues from economic policy measures, and indirect ecological savings by reducing carbon dioxide emissions. On the basis of these results, this paper derives cost-benefit implications, entrepreneurial and managerial implications for energy production and use, and particularly for sustainable rural development.

Keywords: solar energy; households; investment viability appraisal; sustainable rural development; solar power plants; sustainable development; sustainability; rural areas; agricultural households; agricultural buildings; solar investment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSE.2012.046222

International Journal of Sustainable Economy, 2012 Vol.4 No.2, pp.197 - 212

Published online: 21 Nov 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article