Energy - Solar boom: more than one million new systems
According to the solar industry, more new solar systems for generating electricity and heat were installed in Germany last year than ever before. More than one million new systems were installed, reported the German Solar Industry Association (BSW) in Berlin. A large proportion of these are so-called balcony power plants. Around 270,000 new plug-in solar devices were put into operation in Germany in 2023. That is four times as many as in 2022.
According to the Federal Network Agency, systems with a peak output of around 14 gigawatts of electricity generation from sunlight were newly commissioned on roofs and open spaces. This is 85 percent more than in the previous year 2022.
According to the BSW, half of the newly installed solar power capacity in 2023 was attributable to the residential segment. PV systems on open spaces accounted for around 31 percent and PV systems on commercial roofs for around 18 percent. "Due to their low specific output, the large number of plug-in solar devices accounted for less than two percent of the newly installed PV output," emphasized BSW Managing Director Carsten Körnig.
There are now around 3.7 million solar power systems installed in Germany. They would have generated around 62 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2023, covering around 12 percent of German electricity consumption.
Industry association calls for further reduction in bureaucracy
The industry association expects demand to remain high in 2024. It justifies this with further increases in electricity prices and attractive subsidy conditions. "We expect the solar boom to continue in 2024," explained Körnig. However, to ensure that the growth targets are also achieved in subsequent years, the reduction in bureaucracy must not come to a standstill. Further measures to speed up procedures are needed to upgrade the electricity and heating grids more quickly.
In 2024, more than 1.5 million property owners were planning to install a solar system on their roof, the BSW reported. The association based this projection on a representative survey conducted by the opinion research institute Yougov among over 1,000 property owners in mid-December. According to the survey, 69 percent of residential property owners with suitable roof space could imagine installing a solar system on their roof. "16 percent are already planning to do so in the next 12 months," it continued.
Specifically, the association expects demand in the residential segment with rooftop systems with a PV output of up to 30 kilowatts to be similar to 2023 in 2024. Last year, PV rooftop systems with a total peak output of seven gigawatts were installed in this segment. In contrast, the BSW expects market growth for PV systems on commercial roofs and open spaces.
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- The Solar industry boom in Germany, driven by the installation of over one million new solar systems, contributes significantly to the country's reliance on renewable energies, such as solar electricity, which accounted for around 12% of German electricity consumption at the turn of the year.
- The Federal Network Agency in Germany has reported a substantial increase in the commissioning of solar power systems with a peak output of approximately 14 gigawatts, marking an 85% rise from the previous year, highlighting the growth of the solar industry.
- In response to the tanking electricity prices and the appeal of subsidy conditions, the solar industry anticipates that over 1.5 million property owners in Germany will consider installing solar systems on their roofs in 2024, according to the German Solar Industry Association (BSW).
- The Solar industry in Berlin has called for reduced bureaucracy to ensure sustained growth in the future, as Fedral Network Agency data shows an impressive 85% increase in new solar installations, with a total peak output of around 14 gigawatts in 2023.
- The drive towards alternative energies, such as solar electricity and solar heat, has seen Germany lead the way in the installation of new solar systems, demonstrating the country's commitment to reducing its reliance on traditional energy sources like fossil fuels.
Source: www.stern.de
