Germany has reached a significant milestone, with more than 3 million solar power systems now in operation, according to new data from the German solar association BSW-Solar. It said the country’s rooftop solar market has strong demand and could cross the 4 million mark as early as next year.
According to BSW-Solar, Germany connected its 3 millionth solar power system to the grid this week. The German Solar Industry Association expects the country to reach the 4 million mark as early as next year, with nearly 350,000 new solar power systems being registered this year alone. Germany’s total solar energy capacity is now more than 70 GW.
Homeowners are making significant investments in solar energy, as new solar power systems were installed in the first quarter of 2023 more than twice as much as at the same time last year. Carsten Körnig, CEO of BSW Solar, attributed this 129% increase to the growing demand for solar technology due to the energy crisis and improved operating conditions.
The popularity of rechargeable solar balcony solar modules is also growing, and already more than five million households use solar energy from their own roofs to produce electricity and heat. In addition, there are approximately 2.6 million solar heating systems in Germany, which are mainly used by households for hot water and space heating.
Germany surpassed its 7 GW solar expansion target last year, and it looks like the goal of reaching 9 GW this year will also be met. However, the federal government aims to reach 215 GW of solar capacity by 2030.
According to the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur), according to linear extrapolation, a monthly increase of 1.56 GW is needed to reach this target. Körnig emphasized the need to install approximately 30% more solar electricity each year over the next four years compared to the previous year, in order to achieve the desired degree of solarisation.
The association’s estimate shows that a third of Germany’s solar power capacity is installed in private and commercial buildings and open plots. The goal of the federal government is to allocate about half of the target of 215 GW to roofs and open spaces.
