Trade body SolarPower Europe has released preliminary statistics that point to 2019 being the best year for the photovoltaics (PV) since 2010 with capacity set to rise 104% year on year. Spain is leading the way with an anticipated 4.7 GW of new solar, followed by Germany with 4 GW.
Solar panels
Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe, said: “Solar in the European Union is thriving. We have entered a new era of solar growth, with more new solar capacity installed than any other power generation technology in 2019. This boom in installations demonstrates that solar in Europe is on the right track, and with bold climate leadership from the new Commission, solar can help make the European Green Deal a reality.”
In 2019, Spain was Europe’s largest solar market, adding 4.7 GW; Spain has not held this achievement since 2008.
Rounding out the top solar markets for 2019 were Germany (4 GW), the Netherlands (2.5 GW), France (1.1 GW), and Poland, which nearly quadrupled its installed capacities to 784 MW.
This trend of increased solar installations was typical for the entire EU, with 26 of the 28 member states installing more solar in 2019 than in the previous year. By the end of 2019, the EU will enjoy a total of 131.9 GW, which represents a 14% increase over the 115.2 GW operating the year before.
Aurélie Beauvais, Policy Director of SolarPower Europe, added: “There are several reasons to explain the growth of solar in Europe. Primarily, this increased demand can be attributed to solar’s cost-competitiveness – it is often the cheapest power generation source – as well as the approaching deadline for member states to meet their binding national 2020 renewable energy targets.”
Michael Schmela, Executive Advisor and Head of Market Intelligence at SolarPower Europe, said: "The record-breaking year is expected to be 2022, with an anticipated all-time high of 24.3 GW of installations, and again in 2023 with 26.8 GW of newly-installed solar capacity. The coming years are looking truly phenomenal for solar deployment in Europe.”
SolarPower Europe
EU-28 annual solar PV installed capacity 2000-2019. Photo: SolarPower Europe 2019
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