A total of 3,878 installations included in the scheme had a combined rated capacity of 412 megawatts, follows from a report published on the website of the Environment Ministry.

The combined subsidised electricity production of the plants was 514.7 gigawatt hours, a decline of 5% compared with the same period a year ago.

The trend of increase in subsidies stabilised in 2016. Only three new units joined the subsidy scheme in the first half of this year.

The average amount of subsidy in the first half of the year was EUR 150.40 per MWh, which is 6% more than in the same period a year ago.

The reason is the sunny and dry weather, which boosted the production of solar plants as the costlier source and reduced production at hydro-power plants as the cheapest source of energy.

Solar plants included in the scheme generated 14% more electricity than in the same period last year, while hydro power plants produced 40% less.

Almost half of the subsidies paid out between January and end of June went to solar plants; these were paid EUR 37.5m to put out 147.3 GWh of electricity.

Cogeneration plants fuelled by fossil fuels received 23% of the subsidies or EUR 17.5m for 175.2 GWh of electricity.

Subsidies also went to biomass plants (EUR 10m for 72.1 GWh), biogas plants (EUR 8.8m for 67 GWh), hydro plants (EUR 2.8m for 48.5 GWh), wind plants (EUR 200.000 for 2.7 GWh) and other installations (EUR 0.5m for two GWh).