German solar capacity breaches 100 gigawatts – industry association

The German solar industry marked a milestone at the turn of the year, as the total capacity of all installed solar power systems surpassed 100 gigawatts (GW), said industry association BSW Solar. 

Solar power plants covered around 14 percent of electricity consumption in 2024, up from 12 percent the previous year, according to projections based on data from the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA). Around a million photovoltaic systems with a peak output of 17 GW started operation on rooftops and in open spaces in 2024, up 10 percent on the previous year. 

Ground-mounted solar parks were the main growth drivers with a year-on-year increase of around 40 percent, while demand for plug-in solar on balconies continued to "boom," doubling in capacity (to 0.7 GW). After several record growth years, solar power on residential rooftops slowed, causing problems for PV companies, said BSW Solar.  

The German government aims to more than double installed solar capacity to 215 GW by 2030. Carsten Körnig, head of BSW Solar, said that while current growth meant the sector was on the "home straight," reaching the goal was not a forgone conclusion. The next German government formed after elections in February should "remove market barriers and ensure an attractive investment framework." 

Around two-thirds of German citizens want faster solar technology expansion, according to a representative YouGov survey commissioned by BSW Solar. Lawmakers should ease bureaucracy or introduce appropriate funding instruments to support solar and battery storage growth, with a majority of citizens backing such measures.