Germany continues to strengthen its position as a global leader in solar energy. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the country installed 4.65 GW of new solar capacity, building on the 17.9 GW added in 2024. By March 2025, the total installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity had reached nearly 99 GW, with the majority of new installations coming from rooftop systems. These rooftop additions accounted for around 69% of new capacity in March, reflecting both increased consumer interest and strong policy support for distributed generation.
Significant government initiatives, including streamlined permitting and subsidies, have made it easier for households to invest in solar. One notable development is the surge in “balcony power plants” (small, plug-in PV systems for urban apartments), supported by new incentives and regulatory relaxations.
Alongside solar, renewables collectively generated nearly 60% of Germany’s total electricity in 2024, helping to steadily replace fossil fuel sources and lower carbon emissions nationwide.
Despite rapid expansion, Germany faces headwinds in maintaining growth momentum. In April 2025, solar capacity additions dropped to just 838.5 MW, well below the 1.5 GW monthly pace needed to achieve the government's 2030 target of 215 GW installed solar capacity. The slowdown was primarily driven by reduced demand for new rooftop PV systems and delays in permitting for large ground-mounted projects. However, the plug-in balcony market continues to thrive as consumers seek affordable ways to generate their own electricity.
Regional trends show strong solar uptake in both urban and rural areas, with Bavaria leading new capacity additions in 2024 and eastern states such as Saxony attracting large-scale utility projects. The grid and storage sector is also expanding, but distribution-grid congestion and a shortage of skilled electricians remain bottlenecks for new project connections.
Germany’s government remains firmly committed to the “Energiewende” (energy transition), with the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) driving both rooftop and large-scale solar growth. Legislative reforms in early 2025 further simplified processes for market integration, digitalization, and grid storage, aiming to stabilize the electricity supply as solar becomes a principal energy source.
The benefits extend beyond climate targets. The expansion of solar capacity strengthens Germany’s energy independence, reduces reliance on fossil fuel imports, and helps to protect consumers from volatile electricity prices.
Strategic Energy. Germany’s Solar: The State of the Market. Retrieved from https://strategicenergy.eu/germanys-solar/
Mordor Intelligence. Germany Solar Energy Market – Growth, Trends, and Forecasts. Retrieved from https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/germany-solar-energy-market
Germany’s Solar Capacity in 2025: A Stunning 4.65 GW Installed in Q1/Q2. Retrieved from https://www.pvknowhow.com/news/germany-solar-capacity-2025-stunning-4-65-gw-installed-in-q1-2/
Bundesnetzagentur. Record Growth of Renewable Energy in 2025. Press Release, 8 January 2025. Retrieved from https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/EN/2025/20250108_EE.html
