Why is solar power growing in Germany?

In 2004, Germany was the first country, together with Japan, to reach 1 GW of cumulative installed PV capacity. Since 2004 solar power in Germany has been growing considerably due to the country's feed-in tariffs for renewable energy, which were introduced by the German Renewable Energy Sources Act, and declining PV costs.

When did solar power reach its highest output in Germany?

On 7 July 2023, solar power reached its highest output ever in Germany so far, providing 68 percent of the entire electricity mix at about noon, when both sun intensity and usually also power consumption are at peak levels. Throughout June 2023, solar PV had an output of 9 terawatt hours (TWh), according to research institute Fraunhofer ISE.

How much solar power does Germany have?

At the end of 2023, the country boasted a capacity of about 61 gigawatts (GW), according to figures by solar PV industry group BSW Solar. In contrast to conventional energy systems focused on big and centralised producers, tens of thousands of small solar panel operators have become an important part of the German energy system.

Do solar panels contribute to Germany's Power Mix?

Solar arrays can contribute a much greater share to the German power mix during particularly sunny times. On 7 July 2023, solar power reached its highest output ever in Germany so far, providing 68 percent of the entire electricity mix at about noon, when both sun intensity and usually also power consumption are at peak levels.

How many GW of solar power did Germany produce in June?

On May 4, they set a record: for the first time, solar plants in Germany fed more than 40 GW of power into the grid. With about 15 TWh of solar and wind power generation, June set a new monthly record for a June month. Hydropower produced 9.3 TWh in the first half of the year, up from 8.2 TWh a year earlier.

What percentage of Germany's electricity is produced by solar power?

Solar power only made up 4 percent of the regulated electricity [BNA2]. The derating mainly affects wind power, which is mostly produced in the north and for which there is not yet sufficient transmission capacity to southern Germany.