The European Union (EU) achieved a record-breaking addition of 56 GW of solar capacity in 2023, surpassing the 40 GW installed in 2022, according to SolarPower Europe's 2023-2027 market outlook. This marks the third consecutive year of at least 40% growth in the European solar market. Germany claimed the top spot with 14.1 GW of new capacity, followed by Spain (8.2 GW), Italy (4.8 GW), Poland (4.6 GW), and the Netherlands (4.1 GW).
While 2023 saw rooftop solar grow to 37 GW from 24 GW in 2022, new utility-scale solar expanded more modestly to 19 GW from 16 GW the previous year. SolarPower Europe's CEO, Walburga Hemetsberger, emphasized that although solar has delivered for Europe during crises, the continent must reciprocate by ensuring conducive conditions for solar deployment.
Looking ahead, the Medium Scenario in the report anticipates 19% growth in 2025, reaching 73.8 GW of installations, followed by projections of 84.2 GW in 2026 and 93.1 GW in 2027. The High Scenario suggests the market could exceed 100 GW as early as 2026, but challenges, including recent trade defence threats, make the Low Scenario more likely, with installations marginally growing to 58.7 GW by 2027.
Despite a 59% YoY increase in module manufacturing capacity to around 14.6 GW, SolarPower Europe estimates that less than 2% of Europe's current solar demand could be met with European-made photovoltaics (PV). The organization stressed the importance of addressing challenges such as slow grid connection times, permitting delays, and potential trade barriers to sustain solar growth.
