Solar power in the European Union

Map of solar insolation on the Europen continent. Annual values range from 900 kWh per square metre (in Northern Scotland) to 1900 kWh per square metre (in Southern Spain).
Solar potential in Europe

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.[2]

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.[3]

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.[4] 2023 also saw a record high 9.1% of EU electricity generation coming from solar power.[5]

  1. ^ [Solar Thermal Markets in Europe Trends and Market Statistics 2010], European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF) June 2011 p. 14-15, Figure Capacity in operation 2010/2020
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "The world's solar rooftop power doubled in 2022, new report reveals". euronews. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  4. ^ "New report: EU solar reaches record heights of 56 GW in 2023 but warns of clouds on the horizon". SolarPower Europe. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  5. ^ "European Electricity Review 2024". Ember. 12 December 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.