Agency Report –
Berlin – Solar power made another leap in Germany in 2024, industry figures showed on Monday, with total installed capacity surpassing 100 gigawatts for the first time.
The German Solar Industry Association said an extra 17 gigawatts of capacity was installed last year, some 10% more than in 2023.
Around 14% of German electricity consumption over the year was covered by photovoltaic systems, the association said.
The top source of solar power in 2024 remained solar panels on residential buildings, contributing some 38 gigawatts in output.
However, the prime driver of growth was ground-mounted solar parks, which provided more than one-third of new capacity at 6.3 gigawatts, an increase of 40% compared to the previous year.
The expansion of plug-in solar devices, otherwise known as balcony power plants, also expanded in 2024, with capacity doubling to around 0.7 gigawatts.
Solar modules on commercial roofs, meanwhile, accounted for just under 30% of total output. Here, the increase in new installations was around one-quarter compared to 2023.
“With continued market growth of roughly the same magnitude over the next two years, we are entering the home straight,” said Carsten Körnig, managing director of the German Solar Industry Association.
“However, reaching the next milestones of the energy transition is not a foregone conclusion,” he added.
The German government’s target is a total output of around 215 gigawatts by 2030, more than double current capacity.
The country’s next government should therefore dismantle remaining market barriers and secure further investments, the association said.
