Energy - Solar industry records 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 surge in solar system installations in Germany has prompted discussions at the Federal Network Agency about the need to upgrade the electricity and heating grids to accommodate the increased demand for alternative energies, such as solar power.
- Many consumers in Berlin and across Germany are turning to the solar industry for alternative energy solutions, with the number of new solar systems installed reaching over one million in 2023, a significant increase from the previous year.
- In the context of the growing solar industry and the turn of the year, the Federal Network Agency has announced plans to commission systems with a peak output of around 16 gigawatts of electricity generation from sunlight in 2024, further boosting Germany's position as a leader in renewable energy.
- The alternative energy boom in Germany has expanded beyond solar power, with the solar industry noting that Germany now has over 3.7 million solar power systems installed, generating around 62 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, equivalent to 12% of Germany's electricity consumption.
- As the solar industry continues to grow, the Solar Industry Association has called for continued efforts to reduce bureaucracy and streamline processes, ensuring that the country's energy grid can keep up with the demand for renewable energy sources like solar power, and lay the foundation for a sustainable future in the solar system.
Source: www.stern.de
