Germany hits solar PV milestone early, industry warns of hurdles ahead

Germany has reached a major milestone in the expansion of solar energy, with nationwide installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity surpassing the 128-gigawatt-peak (GWp) mark in August. The country thus achieved its 2026 solar power expansion target well before the end of the year, the German Solar Association (BSW Solar) has said.

More than 6 million solar power systems are now installed in Germany, according to an analysis by BSW Solar. Despite its often cloudy skies, Germany is one of the largest solar power producers in the world and PV remains a key component of the country’s energy transition. In 2025, solar power contributed around one-fifth of Germany's net electricity generation.

"The 128-gigawatt milestone is a success,” said BSW Solar head Carsten Körnig. “But anyone who concludes from this that solar expansion will now run on autopilot is mistaken. Around 87 GW of additional solar capacity still need to be added by 2030. To achieve this, the annual rate of expansion must increase rather than decrease," Körnig said.

Approximately 17.5 GWp of new PV capacity were installed in both 2024 and 2025, respectively. To meet the statutory expansion target of 215 GWp by 2030, an average of around 20 GWp of additional solar capacity will be required annually over the coming years. Germany’s Renewable Energy Act (EEG) already targets an installed capacity of 172 GWp by 2028, rising to 400 GWp by 2040.

BSW Solar is therefore called on lawmakers to amend the upcoming EEG reform as well as the government’s so-called grid package, which includes planned changes to support schemes for small PV systems, stricter requirements for direct marketing, and the partial elimination of compensation payments for grid-related curtailment. These measures will stifle investment and jeopardise the achievement of expansion targets, the association argued.