Solar power in the European Union explained

Solar power consists of photovoltaics (PV) and solar thermal energy in the European Union (EU).

In 2010, the €2.6 billion European solar heating sectors consisted of small and medium-sized businesses, generated 17.3 terawatt-hours (TWh) of energy, employed 33,500 workers, and created one new job for every 80 kW of added capacity.[1]

Solar energy, the fastest-growing energy source in the EU, saw an 82% cost reduction between 2010 and 2020. Solar capacity expanded from 164.19 GW in 2021 to an estimated 259.99 GW by 2023.

In 2022, four EU member states—Spain, Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands—ranked among the top 10 globally for additional solar capacity installed in the preceding year.[2]

During 2023, an additional 55.9 gigawatts (GW) of photovoltaics systems were connected to the grid in the European Union, taking cumulative capacity to 263 GW.[3] 2023 also saw a record high 9.1% of EU electricity generation coming from solar power.[4]

EU solar energy strategy

The EU's solar energy capacity increased significantly from 164.19 GW in 2021 to 259.99 GW by 2023, with employment in the sector growing from 466,000 workers in 2021 to 648,100 by the end of 2022, representing a 39% increase. These developments are part of the REPowerEU plan, which targets over 320 GW of solar photovoltaic capacity by 2025 and nearly 600 GW by 2030. The growth in jobs suggests the possibility of exceeding 1 million solar workers by 2025, ahead of previous estimates for 2030.[5]

In support of its solar energy strategy, the EU has implemented three key initiatives. Firstly, the European Solar Rooftops Initiative aims to increase solar installations on buildings. Secondly, the EU Large-Scale Skills Partnership targets the skills gap in the renewable sector. Lastly, the EU Solar PV Industry Alliance focuses on enhancing solar manufacturing capacity within the EU.

Photovoltaic solar power

In 2012, photovoltaic systems with a total capacity of 17.2 gigawatt (GW) were connected to the grid in Europe, less than in 2011, when 22.4 GW had been installed. In terms of total installed capacity, according to EPIA's 2012-report, Europe still led the way with more than 70 GW, or 69% of worldwide capacity, producing 85 TWh of electricity annually. This energy volume is sufficient to power the supply needs of over 20 million households.[6]

In 2011, solar photovoltaic continued its growth trend and Italy was the top market for the year, with 9.3 GW connected, followed by Germany (7.5 GW). These two markets were followed by France (1.7 GW) and the United Kingdom (784 MW). In terms of cumulative capacity, Germany with more than 24 GW, is the leading country in Europe,[6] followed by Italy, with more than 12 GW. PV is now a significant part of Europe's electricity mix, producing 2% of the demand in the EU and roughly 4% of peak demand.[6]

In 2011 the EU's solar electricity production is evaluated as ca 44.8 TWh in 2011 with 51.4 GW installed capacity, up 98% on 2010. In 2011 in the EU new installations were 21.5 GW. The solar power share in 2011 was around 3.6% in Italy, 3.1% in Germany and 2.6% in Spain. EuroObserver expects the total installation to reach at least 120 GW in 2020. The national strategies are equivalent to 84 GW solar capacity in 2020 which may underestimate the actual development taking place. For example, according to AGEE-Stat (the Ministry of Environment's Working Group on Renewable Energy Statistics), Germany connected solar capacity 7.5 GWp in 2011, twice the 3.5 GWp target. EU accounted for 74% of all newly connected capacity in 2011. According to Photon International magazine the worldwide solar cell production capacity was 12.5 GW in 2009 and 37 GW in 2011. In 2012, production capacities are set to rise to 69 GW, same as the total installed capacity worldwide at the end of 2011.[7]

Denmark reached its governmental goal of achieving 200 MW of photovoltaic capacity by 2020 already in 2012, eight years in advance. At that time Danish energy sector players estimated that this development would result in 1000 MW by 2020.[8] Croatia as the newest member of the EU has a less than enthusiastic embrace of solar power due to a number of reasons. However, in past few years, Croatian solar energy has seen a dramatic increase in the overall output. From 32.4 MWh in 2012, to an additional 46,2 MWh in 2013 with another 108 MWh[9] awaiting to be connected to the national grid and additional power plants under construction with total energy output exceeding 200 MWh. Croatian national renewable energy strategy is to increase participating share of renewable in overall energy mix from current 15.8% (end of 2012) to around 25% by 2020 with solar generating at least 500 MWh.

PV in the European Union (MWpeak)[10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]
Country202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009
align=center 1 align=left 81,73767,47760,03653,66948,91245,156 42,291 40,677 39,222 37,898 36,708 32,698 24,875 17,370 9,959
align=center 2 align=left 29,78924,55522,59421,65020,86520,108 19,682 19,283 18,901 18,594 18,185 16,361 12,764 3,478 1,157
3 Spain28,71223,31113,71510,1368,8074,764 4,723 4,713 4,704 4,697 4,690 4,516 4,214 3,808 3,438
4 Netherlands23,90419,60014,91111,1087,2264,608 2,911 2,135 1,526 1,007 650 321 118 97 68
5 France20,54217,34114,60312,05611,91710,729 8,610 7,702 7,138 6,034 5,277 4,027 2,831 1,054 335
6 Poland15,80912,1707,4163,9551,539562 287 187 108 27 2 3.4 1.8 2 1
align=center 7 8,5496,7566,0125,5734,6374,000 3,621 3,329 3,132 3,015 2,902 2,649 1,812 787 574
8 Greece7,0305,4304,2773,2882,8342,652 2,606 2,604 2,604 2,596 2,579 1,543 631 205 55
align=center 9 6,8323,7922,7832,0431,7021,455 1,269 1,096 937 785 626 421 173103 53
10 Hungary5,8354,2352,9682,1311,400728 344 235 172 89 35 3.7 4.1 2 0.7
11 Portugal3,8762,6461,6461,100901667 579 513 477 415 296 228 143 131 102
12 Denmark3,5293,0701,7041,3041,080998 906 851 782 607 571 391 16 7 5
13 Sweden3,4882,3881,6061,107714428 244 153 104 60 43 23 18 10 9
14 Bulgaria2,9371,7371,2751,1001,0441,033 1,031 1,030 1,028 1,029 1,019 933 132 17 6
15 Czech2,4992,4202,2462,1722,1112,081 2,075 2,068 2,075 2,067 2,064 2,022 1,959 1,953 463
16 Romania1,9171,8091,3941,3831,3981,386 1,374 1,372 1,326 1,293 761 49 2.9 2 0.6
17 Lithuania1,16557225516410382 74 70 69 69 68 6.1 0.1 0.1 <0.1
18 Slovenia1,034626461370278247 247 233 238 223 187 217 90 36 9
19 Finland900664425318222140 82 39 17 11 11 11 11 10 8
20 Ireland7382892281529653 29 11 5 3 1 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.6
21 Estonia69052039520812132 15 10 7 3 2 0.2 0.2 <0.1 <0.1
22 Slovakia631549537535490472 528 533 533 533 533 517 488 144 0.2
23 Cyprus606424315229151118 110 84 76 64 35 17 10 6 3
24 Croatia4612221381098568 60 56 48 33 19 20 16 16 12
25 Luxembourg432317277187160131 128 122 116 110 95 76 30 27 26
26 Latvia3531137532 1 1 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 <0.1 <0.1
27 Malta231222205188151132 112 94 75 55 29 18 11 2 2
United Kingdom--- 13,22413,059 12,760 11,914 9,601 5,528 2,937 1,657 1,014 75 30
EU (GWp)251.73203.26162.43136.24131.02114.81106.69101.1195.0286.8580.3368.6451.3629.3315.86
PV in watts per capita[17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]
Country202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011
1 Netherlands1081.5815.4636.9400.6250.3 160.9 120.1 83.1 65.4 39.6 19.1 7.1
2 Germany794.2706.2645.4590.4546.9 512.0 503.1 489.8 474.1 447.2 399.5 304.3
align=center 3 align=left 590.3544.7483.0395.5373.2 338.4 302.8 286.7 277.2 267.3 240.0 165.5
4 Greece532.9371.0307.3260.5246.9 242.2 241.4 241.7 236.8 233.7 136.7 55.8
5 Cyprus508.4352.7256.7146.9130.9 123.1 64.7 82.0 75.5 40.2 19.9 12.5
6 Luxembourg488.4435.3296.6229.0222.6 215.0 212.8 222.0 200.1 186.2 89.9 59.9
7 Italy425.5373.1364.2345.7332.4 325.0 317.7 311.3 303.5 295.1 269.0 210.5
8 Denmark421.8273.5223.6186.0173.3 158.3 150.4 138.3 106.9 94.8 70.2 3.0
9 Estonia396.6311.3156.480.80.0 0.0 7.7 3.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
10 Austria392.4314.5229.1187.5162.4 142.3 123.9 108.9 90.6 81.7 49.9 20.7
11 Malta387.9369.9364.8305.1276.0 247.9 188.8 170.5 127.5 58.7 45.0 27.4
12 Spain381.2276.5214.0196.7101.8 109.8 103.4 106.0 102.9 100.7 97.8 91.3
13 Hungary309.9219.0218.6130.777.1 37.6 29.3 14.0 3.9 1.6 0.4 0.4
14 Poland303.3202.7104.434.712.8 7.1 5.2 2.03 0.6 0.1 0.1 0.0
15 Bulgaria301.3171.5158.6152.1146.9 144.8 144.3 141.7 140.8 139.9 127.4 17.7
16 Slovenia299.2174.0176.0106.7123.9 124.9 125.5 124.8 124.2 123.8 105.7 44.1
17 France256.1218.5178.4157.9141.4 120.5 107.3 99.1 87.6 71.6 61.6 43.5
18 Sweden248.5154.6106.968.241.9 23.1 15.6 13.3 8.2 4.5 2.5 2.0
19 Czech246.2198.0203.0197.2193.0 192.9 194.0 197.7 196.1 196.1 192.5 186.0
20 Portugal243.6160.0106.888.365.2 55.2 45.4 44.3 40.2 26.8 21.7 13.5
21 Lithuania200.691.258.729.726.3 28.8 27.7 25.0 23.2 22.9 2.0 0.0
22 Finland106.473.057.539.022.7 11.1 3.6 2.7 1.9 2.1 2.1 2.1
23 Slovakia98.998.098.086.697.6 98.1 100.5 109.0 109.0 99.3 95.7 89.8
24 Romania74.272.871.871.470.5 70.0 69.4 66.7 64.8 51.1 0.3 0.1
25 Croatia47.226.926.916.914.9 12.4 12.0 10.6 8.1 5.1 0.1 0.1
26 Latvia29.84.22.61.60.5 0.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.7
27 Ireland26.327.218.17.36.0 1.9 1.1 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
28 United Kingdom---204.3197.0 193.9 176.8 137.7 81.3 42.9 26.3 16.2
 - EU 466.5354.2334.5254.5223.6208.3197.8 186.1 171.5155.8136.3102.2

Concentrated solar power

See main article: Concentrated solar power.

Solar power, the production of electricity from solar energy, is performed either directly, through photovoltaics, or indirectly, using concentrated solar power (CSP). One advantage that CSP has is the ability to add thermal storage and provide power up to 24 hours a day.[24] Gemasolar, in Spain, was the first to provide 24-hour power.[25] There is considerable academic and commercial interest internationally in a new form of CSP, called STEM, for off-grid applications to produce 24-hour industrial scale power for mining sites and remote communities in Italy, other parts of Europe, Australia, Asia, North Africa and Latin America. STEM uses fluidised silica sand as a thermal storage and heat transfer medium for CSP systems. It has been developed by Salerno-based Magaldi Industries. The first commercial application of STEM will take place in Sicily from 2015.[26]

CSP in Europe (MWpeak)[27] [28]
Country2007200820092010201120122013
1 align=left 10.00 60.00 281.40 531.40 1,151.40 1,953.90 2,303.90
2 align=left 0 0 0 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.35
3 align=left 0 0 0 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50
4 align=left 0 0 0 0.50 0.75 0.75 0.75
EU10 60281738 1,1591,9612,311

Solar thermal

See main article: Solar thermal energy.

Over the next 10 years the European solar thermal will grow on average at a rate of 15% per annum. According to the National Renewable Energy Action Plans the total solar thermal capacity in the EU will be 102 GW in 2020 (while 14 GW in 2006).[1]

In June 2009, the European Parliament and Council adopted the Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from Renewable Energy Sources (RES). For the first time, heating and cooling accounting for half of the final energy demand will be covered by a European directive promoting renewable energies. The overall renewable target is legally binding but renewable mix is free. According to the delivered national plans the highest of solar heating markets during 2010-2020 will be in Italy, Germany, France, Spain, and Poland in respect to the national target in 2020 and capacity increase. Top countries per capita will be Cyprus, Greece, Austria, Italy, and Belgium.[1]

In some European countries the solar thermal market is still in its infancy. Bulgaria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have extremely low targets in their plans. Estonia, Finland, Latvia, and Romania have not included solar thermal in their national plans at all.[1]

Solar heating is the usage of solar energy to provide space or water heating. Worldwide the use was 88 GWthermal in 2005. Growth potential is enormous. The EU have been second after China in the installations. If all EU countries had used solar thermal as enthusiastically as the Austrians, the EU's installed capacity would have been 91 GWth (130 million m2), far beyond the target of 100 million m2 by 2010, set by the white paper in 1997. In 2005 solar heating in the EU was equivalent to more than 686,000 tons of oil. ESTIF's minimum target is to produce solar heating equivalent to 5,600,000 tons of oil (2020). A more ambitious, but feasible, target is 73 million tons of oil per year (2020) – a lorry row spanning 1,5 times around the globe.[29]

Solar heating in the European Union (MWthermal)
Country200820092010201120122013
align=center 1 align=left 7,766 9,036 9,831 10,496 11,416 12,055
align=center 2 align=left 2,268 3,031 3,227 2,792 3,448 3,538
align=center 3 align=left 2,708 2,853 2,855 2,861 2,885 2,915
align=center 4 align=left 1,124 1,410 1,753 2,152 2,380 2,590
align=center 5 align=left 988 1,306 1,543 1,659 2,075 2,238
align=center 6 align=left 1,137 1,287 1,470 1,277 1,691 1,802
align=center 7 align=left 254 357 459 637 848 1,040
align=center 8 align=left 223 395 526 547 677 717
align=center 9 align=left 116 148 216 265 625 681
align=center 10 align=left 254 285 313 332 605 616
align=center 11 align=left 293 339 379 409 499 550
align=center 12 align=left 485 490 491 499 486 476
align=center 13 align=left 270 333 374 460 455 475
align=center 14 align=left 202 217 227 236 337 342
align=center 15 align=left 188 204 230 226 334 374
align=center 16 align=left 52 85 106 111 177 196
align=center 17 align=left 96 111 116 123 142 148
align=center 18 align=left 18 59 105 120 125 137
align=center 19 align=left 66 80 73 74 93 110
align=center 20 align=left 67 73 84 100 108 113
align=center 21 align=left 84 98
align=center 22 align=left 22 56 74 81 58 59
align=center 23 align=left 25 29 32 36 34 35
align=center 24 align=left 18 20 23 23 30 33
align=center 25 align=left 16 19 22 25 23 27
align=center 26 align=left 1 1 1 3 10 12
align=center 27 align=left 1 2 2 3 6 8
align=center 28 align=left 1 2 2 3 4 6
EU (in GW)19.0821.6023.4925.5529.6631.39
Notes:
  • The relation between collector area and rated power: 1m2 = 0.7 kWthermal
  • Data source for 2013: Divergent figures from different reports. Total of 31.39 GWth corresponds to figures from EurObserv'ER report, while report from the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) accounts for 30.2 GWth and includes capacity from non-EU member Switzerland.[30]
  • Data sources of previous years: 2012 not sourced – 2011[31] – 2010[32] [33] – 2009[34] – 2008[35]
  • For historical data from 2004 to 2010 see collapsed table below
Solar heating in watts per capita
align=left style="background-color: #FFDEAD;" Countryalign=right style="background-color: #FFDEAD;" 2011align=right style="background-color: #FFDEAD;" 2013
align=center 1 align=left 609 551
align=center 2 align=left 397 419
align=center 3 align=left 253 263
align=center 4 align=left 130 150
align=center 5 align=left 80 83
align=center 6 align=left 78 108
align=center 7 align=left 65 72
align=center 8 align=left 58 68
align=center 9 align=left 53 65
align=center 10 align=left 41 48
align=center 11 align=left 37 51
align=center 12 align=left 35 36
align=center 12 align=left 35 37
align=center 14 align=left 34 43
align=center 15 align=left 27 43
align=center 15 align=left 27 34
align=center 17 align=left 25 27
align=center 18 align=left 19 21
align=center 19 align=left 17 27
align=center 20 align=left 11 8
align=center 21 align=left 9 14
align=center 22 align=left 7 7
align=center 23 align=left 5 6
align=center 24 align=left 4 6
align=center 24 align=left 4 6
align=center 26 align=left 1 4
align=center 27 align=left 1 3
align=center 28 align=left n.a. 23
EU average5562

Organisations

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Solar Thermal Markets in Europe Trends and Market Statistics 2010
  2. Web site: 2023-06-13 . The world’s solar rooftop power doubled in 2022, new report reveals . 2024-03-14 . euronews . en.
  3. Web site: New report: EU solar reaches record heights of 56 GW in 2023 but warns of clouds on the horizon . SolarPower Europe. 2023-12-12. 2024-03-05.
  4. Web site: European Electricity Review 2024. Ember. 2024-12-12. 2024-02-07.
  5. Web site: Solar energy . European Commission.
  6. Web site: Global Market Outlook for Photovoltaics until 2016 . 15 February 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130117090024/http://www.epia.org/news/publications/global-market-outlook-for-photovoltaics-until-2016/ . 17 January 2013 . dead.
  7. http://www.eurobserv-er.org/pdf/baro208.asp Photovoltaic barometer 208
  8. Denmark reaches 2020-goal for solar energy before time . . Anne . Lubbe . 12 September 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121019211604/http://um.dk/en/news/newsdisplaypage/?newsid=25147b44-3dce-4647-8788-ad9243c22df2 . 2012-10-19 . dead.
  9. Web site: Razgrabljeni poticaji za solarne elektrane.
  10. Web site: Photovoltaic energy barometer 2010 – EurObserv'ER.
  11. Web site: Photovoltaic energy barometer 2011 – EurObserv'ER.
  12. http://www.energies-renouvelables.org/observ-er/stat_baro/observ/baro-jdp9.pdf Photovoltaic energy barometer 2012 – EurObserv’ER
  13. Web site: Photovoltaic energy barometer 2012 – EurObserv'ER.
  14. http://www.energies-renouvelables.org/observ-er/stat_baro/observ/baro-jdp11_en.pdf Photovoltaic energy barometer 2013 – EurObserv’ER
  15. http://www.energies-renouvelables.org/observ-er/stat_baro/observ/EurObservER-barojdpv13-Photovoltaic-Barometer-2015-EN.pdf Photovoltaic energy barometer 2014 – EurObserv’ER
  16. Web site: 2024-03-27 . Renewable capacity statistics 2024 . 2024-04-14 . www.irena.org . en.
  17. Web site: 28 November 2015 . Photovoltaic barometer 2016 .
  18. Web site: 28 November 2016 . Photovoltaic barometer 2017 .
  19. Web site: 28 April 2018 . Photovoltaic barometer 2018 .
  20. Web site: 7 May 2019 . Photovoltaic barometer 2019 .
  21. Web site: 30 April 2020 . Photovoltaic barometer 2020 .
  22. Web site: Photovoltaic barometer 2022. 28 April 2022.
  23. Web site: Population change - Demographic balance and crude rates at national level (DEMO_GIND) . 2023-07-27 . Eurostat.
  24. Web site: Concentrating Solar Power . 18 February 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120109152657/http://ec.europa.eu/energy/publications/doc/2007_concentrating_solar_power.pdf . 9 January 2012 . dead.
  25. Web site: Spain's round-the-clock solar power plant. Al. Goodman. 3 October 2011. CNN.
  26. CSP Today, 11 April 2014 "Italian project shows strong potential for sand based CSP"
  27. http://www.eurobserv-er.org/pdf/baro209-ST_H.pdf EurObserv'ER: Solar thermal and concentrated solar power barometer - May 2012
  28. http://www.energies-renouvelables.org/observ-er/stat_baro/observ/baro221_en.pdf EurObserv'ER: Solar thermal and concentrated solar power barometer - May 2014
  29. Web site: Solar Thermal Action Plan for Europe ESTIF, 1/2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070928075709/http://www.estif.org/fileadmin/downloads/STAP/Solar_Thermal_Action_Plan_2007_A4.pdf. dead. 28 September 2007.
  30. http://www.estif.org/ European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) Solar Thermal Markets in Europe - Trends and Market Statistics in 2013, June 2014 archive
  31. http://www.estif.org European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) Solar Thermal Markets in Europe - Trends and Market Statistics in 2011, June 2012 archive
  32. http://www.estif.org European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) Solar Thermal Markets in Europe - Trends and Market Statistics in 2010, June 2011 archive
  33. http://www.eurobserv-er.org - EurObserv'ERSolar thermal and concentrated solar power barometer for 2010, May 2011, archive
  34. http://www.estif.org European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) Solar Thermal Markets in Europe - Trends and Market Statistics in 2009, June 2010 archive
  35. http://www.estif.org/fileadmin/estif/content/market_data/downloads/2008%20Solar_Thermal_Markets_in_Europe_2008.pdf Solar Thermal Markets in Europe - Trends and Market Statistics in 2008
  36. since 2010 overseas departments excluded
  37. http://www.estif.org/fileadmin/downloads/Solar_Thermal_Markets_in_Europe_2006.pdf Solar Thermal Markets in Europe, Trends and market statistics 2006
  38. Web site: Solar Thermal Markets in Europe, Trends and market statistics 2008. 24 April 2011.
  39. estif.org - European Solar Thermal Industry Federation Solar Thermal Markets in Europe, Trends and market statistics 2009
  40. estif.org - European Solar Thermal Industry Federation Solar Thermal Markets in Europe, Trends and market statistics 2010, June 2011
  41. Web site: SolarPower Europe. en-US. 11 March 2020.
  42. Web site: European Solar Manufacturing Council (ESMC). en-US. 12 January 2024.