Solar energy: capacity additions in the EU below the previous year
For almost ten years, more new photovoltaic capacity has been added in the European Union every year than in the previous year. This is now probably over.
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In Europe, the photovoltaic systems added this year could have less capacity than in the previous year for the first time since 2016. This was determined by the industry association Solar Power Europa, which explained that the expected expansion would be lower than would be necessary to achieve the European target for 2030 of 750 GW. At the same time, the forecast expansion of around 64 GW would still be at the record level that has been achieved in three consecutive years since 2023. Households are primarily responsible for the slowdown in expansion, as they would become more reluctant to install solar systems again in several EU countries for various reasons.
Total capacity continues to rise sharply
If the expansion of photovoltaics in the EU in 2025 is actually lower than in 2024, this would bring an unprecedented series to an end, even if total capacity continues to increase significantly: while single-digit amounts of GW were added annually ten years ago, the annual expansion has accelerated sharply since then. In some cases, the total capacity added has even doubled. However, expansion has now stagnated since 2023, albeit at a high level of more than 60 GW. A minimal increase in added capacity is still possible in 2025, the association writes. By the end of the year, the total capacity of installed photovoltaics will therefore rise to 400 GW, twice as much as three years ago.
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According to the association, the fact that the expansion is no longer accelerating is due to the expiry of support measures in some countries and the overall decline in electricity prices. As a result, households there are installing fewer solar systems, which cannot be offset by the ongoing boom in balcony power plants. According to the report, the Netherlands and Germany are primarily responsible for the decline in this area. The situation is different for much larger systems, where the number of new installations continues to rise sharply. Spain is the main contributor to this.
Even if the expansion of solar energy is no longer accelerating, the added capacity is growing enormously. This has made it possible, for example, for more electricity to be generated from sunlight than from any other energy source in the European Union for the first time in June. Records for solar energy production were set in 13 countries. The think tank Ember announced this a few days ago and explained that solar power also helped to meet the high demand in the face of the heatwaves. Last month, almost a quarter of the electricity generated in the EU came from solar energy, while nuclear power plants supplied slightly less.
(mho)
