View source for Solar power in Germany

{{Short description|None}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox country solar power|country=Germany|capacity=90|most_recent_year=2024|generation=71|most_recent_year_generation=2024|capacity_capita=1069|most_recent_year_capita=2024|share=15%|most_recent_year_share=2024|rank=6|most_recent_year_rank=2024}}
{{Current German electricity by source}}

[[Solar power]] accounted for an estimated 15% of [[Electricity in Germany|electricity production in Germany]] in 2024, up from 1.9% in 2010 and less than 0.1% in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-electricity-solar?tab=chart&country=~DEU |title=Share of electricity generated by solar power: Germany|page=|author=|publisher=Our World In Data|date=2024-06-20|access-date=2024-09-18}}</ref><ref name="Fraunhofer-recentfacts">{{cite web|work=Fraunhofer ISE|url=https://www.energy-charts.de/energy_pie.htm|title=Recent facts about photovoltaics in Germany|date=19 May 2015|access-date=3 July 2015}}</ref><ref name=ISE-electricityproduction-from-solar-and-wind>{{cite web|title=Electricity production from solar and wind in Germany in 2014|url=http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/downloads-englisch/pdf-files-englisch/data-nivc-/electricity-production-from-solar-and-wind-in-germany-2014.pdf |publisher=[[Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems]] ISE|place=Germany|access-date=22 July 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140728200112/http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/downloads-englisch/pdf-files-englisch/data-nivc-/electricity-production-from-solar-and-wind-in-germany-2014.pdf |archive-date=28 July 2014|page=5|date=21 July 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="AGEE-stat" />

Germany has been among the [[Growth of photovoltaics|world's top PV installer]] for several years, with total installed capacity amounting to 81.8&nbsp;[[gigawatt]]s (GW) at the end of 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://taiyangnews.info/germanys-official-2023-solar-installations-exceed-14-gw/ |title=Germany’s Official 2023 Solar Installations Exceed 14 GW|page=|author=Anu Bhambhani|publisher=Taiyang News|date=2024-01-22|access-date=2024-01-27}}</ref> Germany's 974 watts of solar PV per capita (2023) is the third highest in the world, behind only [[Solar power in Australia|Australia]] and [[Solar power in the Netherlands|the Netherlands]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iea-pvps.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Snapshot-of-Global-PV-Markets_20241.pdf|title=Snapshot of Global PV Markets 2024|page=7/25|author=|publisher=International Energy Agency|date=April 2024|access-date=2024-09-18}}</ref> Germany's official government plans are to continuously increase renewables' contribution to the country's overall electricity consumption; current targets are 80% renewable electricity by 2030 and full decarbonization before 2040.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cleanenergywire.org/factsheets/germanys-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-climate-targets |title=Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions and energy transition targets|page=|author=Kerstine Appunn, Freja Eriksen, Julian Wettengel|publisher=Clean Energy Wire|date=2024-09-11|access-date=2024-09-18}}</ref>

[[Concentrated solar power]] (CSP), a [[solar power]] technology that does not use photovoltaics, has virtually no significance for Germany, as this technology demands much higher solar [[insolation]]. There is, however, a 1.5{{nbsp}}MW experimental CSP-plant used for on-site engineering purposes rather than for commercial electricity generation, the [[Jülich Solar Tower]] owned by the [[German Aerospace Center]]. Germany's [[#Photovoltaic power stations|largest solar farms]] are located in [[Solarpark Meuro|Meuro]], [[Neuhardenberg Solar Park|Neuhardenberg]], and [[Templin Solar Park|Templin]] with capacities over 100&nbsp;MW.

According to the [[Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems]], in 2022, Germany generated 60.8 TWh from solar power, or 11% of Germany's gross electricity consumption.<ref name="Wirth_20231121">{{Cite journal| last = Wirth| first = Harry| last2 = Ise| first2 = Fraunhofer| title = Recent Facts about Photovoltaics in Germany |date= November 21, 2023 |work=[[Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems]] |location=Freiburg|url=https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/ise/en/documents/publications/studies/recent-facts-about-photovoltaics-in-germany.pdf |access-date=4 January 2023 |pages=99}}</ref>{{rp|6}}

The country is increasingly producing more electricity at specific times with high [[solar irradiation]] than it needs, driving down spot-market prices<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/downloads-englisch/pdf-files-englisch/news/electricity-prices-and-production-data-2013.pdf |title=Electricity Spot-Prices and Production Data in Germany 2013|website=fraunhofer.de}}</ref> and exporting its surplus of electricity to its neighbouring countries, with a record exported surplus of 34 TWh in 2014.<ref name=fraunhofer-2015-electricityproduction>{{cite web|title=Electricity production from solar and wind in Germany in 2014 (German version)|url=http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/de/downloads/pdf-files/data-nivc-/stromproduktion-aus-solar-und-windenergie-2014.pdf |publisher=Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE|place=Germany|access-date=5 January 2015|pages=2, 3, 6|date=5 January 2015}}</ref> 
A decline in spot-prices may however raise the electricity prices for retail customers, as the spread of the guaranteed [[Feed-in tariffs in Germany|feed-in tariff]] and spot-price increases as well.<ref name="Fraunhofer-recentfacts" />{{rp|17}} 
As the combined share of fluctuating [[Wind power|wind]] and solar is approaching 17 per cent on the national electricity mix,{{Citation needed|reason=This figure is out of date|date=April 2022}} other issues are becoming more pressing and others more feasible. These include adapting the [[electrical grid]], constructing new [[Grid energy storage|grid-storage]] capacity, dismantling and altering [[fossil fuel|fossil]] and [[nuclear power|nuclear]] power plants and to construct a new generation of [[Cogeneration|combined heat and power plants]].<ref name="Fraunhofer-recentfacts" />{{rp|7}}


== History==

<!-- Information about this line-chart. Only average price of month of January is displayed for each year. -->
{{thumb
|align=right
|width = 275
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|content=
'''Price of solar PV systems'''
{{Graph:Chart
| xAxisTitle = Year
| xAxisAngle = -40
| x = 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
| yAxisTitle = Price (€/kW)
| y = 5000, 4568, 4354, 4110, 3040, 2480, 1990, 1520, 1420, 1240 <!--prelim. december2014 figure -->
| showSymbols = |yGrid= 
}}
|caption = History of PV roof-top prices in euro per kilowatt (€/kW)<ref>Average turn-key prices for roof-top PV systems up to 100 kWp. Sources: for data since 2009 [http://www.photovoltaik-guide.de/pv-preisindex photovoltaik-guide.de, pv-preisindex], using for each year average price of month of January. Data source for previous years (2006–2008), see [http://www.solarwirtschaft.de/fileadmin/content_files/Faktenblatt_PV_Okt09.pdf Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft e.V. (BSW-Solar), September 2009, page 4], quarterly figures from EUPD-Research.</ref>
}}

During the [[Presidency of Ronald Reagan|Reagan administration]] in the United States, oil prices decreased and the US removed most of its policies that supported its solar industry.<ref name=":622">{{Cite book |last=Lan |first=Xiaohuan |title=How China Works: An Introduction to China's State-led Economic Development |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |year=2024 |isbn=978-981-97-0079-0 |translator-last=Topp |translator-first=Gary |doi=10.1007/978-981-97-0080-6}}</ref>{{Rp|page=143}} Government subsidies were higher in Germany (as well as [[Solar power in Japan|Japan]]), which prompted the solar industry supply chain to begin moving from the US to those countries.<ref name=":622" />{{Rp|page=143}}

Germany was one of the first countries to deploy grid-scale PV power. 
In 2004, Germany was the first country, together with Japan, to reach 1&nbsp;GW of cumulative installed PV capacity.
Since 2004 solar power in Germany has been growing considerably due to the country's [[Feed-in tariffs in Germany|feed-in tariffs]] for renewable energy, which were introduced by the [[German Renewable Energy Sources Act]], and declining PV costs.

Prices of PV systems/solar power system decreased more than 50% in the 5&nbsp;years since 2006.<ref name="BSW-Solar">{{cite web|url=http://www.solarwirtschaft.de/fileadmin/content_files/BSW_Solar_Fakten_PV_1110.pdf |title=BSW-Solar – Statistische Zahlen der deutschen Solarstrombranche (Photovoltaik), Oct 2011|website=solarwirtschaft.de}}</ref> 
By 2011, solar PV provided 18&nbsp;TWh of Germany's electricity, or about 3% of the total.<ref name="reuters-2011-12-29" /> 
That year the federal government set a target of 66&nbsp;GW of installed solar PV capacity by 2030,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/articles/germany-reducing-incentives-for-solar-property-investment-55078.aspx |title=Germany Reducing Incentives For Solar Property Investment|author=Property Wire|date=22 April 2010|publisher=NuWire Investor|access-date=10 September 2010}}</ref>
to be reached with an annual increase of 2.5–3.5&nbsp;GW,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.germanenergyblog.de/?p=8341 |title=New German 7.5 GWp PV Record by End of 2011|last=Lang|first=Matthias |date=21 November 2011|work=German Energy Blog|access-date=9 January 2012}}</ref> and a goal of 80% of electricity from renewable sources by 2050.<ref>[http://www.summitwatch.org/de.html Germany]
</ref>

More than 7&nbsp;GW of PV capacity were installed annually during the record years of 2010, 2011 and 2012. 
For this period, the installed capacity of 22.5&nbsp;GW represented almost 30% of the [[Growth of photovoltaics|worldwide deployed photovoltaics]].

Since 2013, the number of new installations declined significantly due to more restrictive governmental policies.

About 1.5&nbsp;million [[photovoltaic systems]] were installed around the country in 2014, ranging from small [[Rooftop photovoltaic power station|rooftop systems]], to medium commercial and large utility-scale [[photovoltaic power station|solar parks]].<ref name="Fraunhofer-recentfacts" />{{rp|5}}

It's estimated that by 2017 over 70% of the country's jobs in the solar industry have been lost in the solar sector in recent years.<ref name="Factsheet2016">{{cite web|url=https://1-stromvergleich.com/solar-power-germany// |title=GERMANY: SOLAR POWER FACTSHEET 2016 |publisher=Strom-Report}}</ref> Proponents from the PV industry blame the lack of governmental commitment, while others point out the financial burden associated with the fast-paced roll-out of photovoltaics, rendering the [[Energy transition in Germany|transition]] to [[renewable energies]] unsustainable in their view.<ref name="reuters-2011-12-29">{{cite web |url= https://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL6E7NT1WK20111229?sp=true |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120413214942/http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL6E7NT1WK20111229?sp=true |url-status= dead |archive-date= 13 April 2012 |title= German solar power output up 60 pct in 2011 |date=29 December 2011 |work=[[Reuters]] |access-date=2 January 2012 }}</ref>

A boom in small, residential balcony-mounted solar systems has been reported in the early 2020s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aussiedlerbote.de/en/balcony-power-plants-cause-solar-industry-to-boom/ |title=Balcony power plants cause solar industry to boom|author=Alex Stellmacher|page=|publisher=ASB Zeitung|date=2024-01-02|access-date=2024-01-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cybernews.com/tech/germany-balcony-solar-craze/ |title=Germany's balcony solar craze: is US next?|author=Ernestas Naprys|page=|publisher=Cybernews.com|date=2023-11-15|access-date=2024-01-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/mini-plug-in-solar-panels-are-they-worth-it/a-66240262 |title=Mini plug-in solar panels: Are they worth it?|author=Gero Rueter|page=|publisher=Deutsche Welle|date=2023-11-09|access-date=2024-01-27}}</ref>

== Governmental policies ==
{{further|Feed-in tariffs in Germany|German Renewable Energy Sources Act}}
{{Image frame
 |width = 355
 |align=right
 |pos=bottom
 |content=
'''Feed-in tariff for rooftop solar'''<ref name="feedin-AnnualReport">{{cite web |publisher=IEA-PVPS |url=http://www.iea-pvps.org/index.php?id=6 |title=Annual Report 2015 |page=63 |date=13 May 2016}}</ref>
{{ Graph:Chart 
 |type=rect
 |width=300
 |y = 50.6 , 48.1 , 45.7 , 57.4 , 54.5 , 51.8 , 49.2 , 46.75 , 43.01 , 39.14 , 28.74 , 24.43 , 17.02 , 13.68 , 12.56 , 12.31
 |yAxisTitle = Tariff (€/kW)
 |xAxisTitle = Year
 |x = 2001 , 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
 |xAxisAngle = -40 |yGrid= 
}}
|caption = History of German feed-in tariffs in ¢/kWh for rooftop solar of less than 10&nbsp;kW<sub>p</sub> since 2001. For 2016, it amounted to 12.31 ¢/kWh.<ref name="feedin-AnnualReport" />
}}

Germany introduced its [[feed-in tariff]] in 2000 and it later became a model for solar industry policy support in other countries.<ref name=":622" />{{Rp|page=145}}

{{As of|2012}}, the feed-in tariff costs about €14&nbsp;billion (US$18&nbsp;billion) per year for [[Wind power in Germany|wind]] and solar installations. 
The cost is spread across all rate-payers in a surcharge of 3.6&nbsp;€ct (4.6&nbsp;¢) per kWh<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.germanenergyblog.de/?p=7526 |title=2012 EEG Surcharge Increases Slightly to 3.592 ct/kWh |first= Matthias |last= Lang |publisher=German Energy Blog |date=14 October 2011 |access-date= 9 January 2012}}</ref> (approximately 15% of the total domestic cost of electricity).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.energy.eu/#Domestic-Elec |title=Europe's Energy Portal » Fuel, Natural Gas and Electricity Prices From Past to Present}}</ref> 
On the other hand, as expensive peak power plants are displaced, the price at the power exchange is reduced due to the so-called [[Merit Order|merit order effect]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.renewablesinternational.net/merit-order-effect-of-pv-in-germany/150/510/33011/ |title= Merit order effect of PV in Germany |date= 2 February 2012 |first= Craig |last= Morris  |work= Renewables International |access-date= 17 May 2012 }}</ref>
Germany set a world record for solar power production with 25.8&nbsp;GW produced at midday on 20 and 21 April 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eex-transparency.com/homepage/power/germany/production/usage/actual-solar-power-generation-/actual-solar-power-generation-chart- |title=Transparency in Energy Markets{{Snd}} Germany}}</ref>

According to the solar power industry, a feed-in tariff is the most effective means of developing solar power.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pennenergy.com/index/power/display/1469629556/articles/power-engineering/volume-114/issue-10/departments/View-on-Renewables/the-us-needs-a-feed-in-tariff.html |title=The U.S. Needs a Feed-in Tariff|website=pennenergy.com}}</ref> It is the same as a [[power purchase agreement]], but is at a much higher rate. As the industry matures, it is reduced and becomes the same as a power purchase agreement. A feed-in tariff allows investors a guaranteed return on investment{{Snd}} a requirement for development. A primary difference between a tax credit and a feed-in tariff is that the cost is borne the year of installation with a tax credit, and is spread out over many years with a feed-in tariff. In both cases the incentive cost is distributed over all consumers. This means that the initial cost is very low for a feed-in tariff and very high for a tax credit. In both cases the learning curve reduces the cost of installation, but is not a large contribution to growth, as grid parity is still always reached.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.q-cells.com/uploads/tx_abdownloads/files/Preprint_26thEUPVSEC_6CV-1-63_FKersten.pdf |title=PV Learning Curves:Past and Future Drivers of Cost Reduction|website=q-cells.com}}</ref>

Since the end of the boom period, national PV market has since declined significantly, due to the amendments in the [[German Renewable Energy Sources Act]] (EEG) that reduced [[feed-in tariff]]s and set constraints on utility-scaled installations, limiting their size to no more than 10&nbsp;kW.<ref>{{cite web|title=Changes for solar in Germany|url=http://www.renewablesinternational.net/changes-for-solar-in-germany/150/452/77990/ |publisher=renewablesinternational.net |access-date=12 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512222547/http://www.renewablesinternational.net/changes-for-solar-in-germany/150/452/77990/ |archive-date=12 May 2014 |url-status=dead|date=3 April 2014}}</ref>

The previous version of the [[German Renewable Energy Sources Act|EEG]] only guaranteed financial assistance as long as the PV capacity had not yet reached 52&nbsp;GW. This limit has now been removed. It also foresees to regulate annual PV growth within a range of 2.5&nbsp;GW to 3.5&nbsp;GW by adjusting the guaranteed fees accordingly. The legislative reforms stipulates a 40 to 45 per cent share from renewable energy sources by 2025 and a 55 to 60 per cent share by 2035.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bmwi.de/DE/Themen/Energie/Erneuerbare-Energien/eeg-reform.html |title=Erneuerbare Energien|first=Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und|last=Energie|website=bmwi.de}}</ref>

{{as of|November 2016}}, tenants in [[North Rhine-Westphalia]] (NRW) will soon be able to benefit from the PV panels mounted on the buildings in which they live.
The state government has introduced measures covering the self-consumption of power, allowing tenants to acquire the electricity generated onsite more cheaply than their regular utility contracts stipulate.<ref name="clew-tenant-electricity-2016">{{cite news| title = Federal state supports 'tenant electricity' models with solar PV | date = 1 November 2016 | work = Clean Energy Wire (CLEW) | location = Berlin, Germany | url = https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/no-climate-plan-ahead-cop22-power-origin-transparency/federal-state-supports-tenant-electricity-models-solar-pv | access-date = 1 November 2016}}</ref><ref name="nrw-2016">{{cite press release | author = <!-- staff writer, no by-line --> | title = Minister Remmel: "NRW macht es vor — Mieterinnen und Mieter können künftig auch von der Energiewende profitieren." — Umweltministerium fördert Mieterstrom-Modelle und Energiespeicher | trans-title = Minister Remmel: "NRW makes it possible — tenants can also benefit from the ''Energiewende'' in the future." — Environment Ministry promotes tenant electricity models and energy storage
 | language = de | date = 31 October 2016 | publisher = Umweltministerium North Rhine-Westphalia | location = Düsseldorf, Germany | url = https://www.umwelt.nrw.de/presse/detail/news/2016-10-31-umweltministerium-foerdert-mieterstrom-modelle-und-energiespeicher/ | access-date = 1 November 2016}}</ref>{{Needs update|date=October 2024}}

Germany subsidizes the installation of solar capacity.<ref name=":622" />{{Rp|page=145}}

=== Grid capacity and stability issues ===
[[File:Germany Electricity Generation 5-25-26-2012.png|thumb|German electricity generation on 25 and 26 May 2012]]

{{Confusing|section|date=July 2014}}

In 2017, approximately 9&nbsp;GW of photovoltaic plants in Germany were being retrofitted to shut down<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lang|first1=Matthias |title=Study Recommends Retrofitting of PV Power Plants to Solve 50.2&nbsp;Hz Problem|url=http://www.germanenergyblog.de/?p=7313 |website=German Energy Blog|date=21 September 2011 |access-date=15 February 2017}}</ref> if the frequency increases to 50.2&nbsp;Hz, indicating an excess of electricity on the grid. The frequency is unlikely to reach 50.2&nbsp;Hz during normal operation, but can if Germany is exporting power to countries that suddenly experience a power failure. This leads to a surplus of generation in Germany, that is transferred to rotating load and generation, which causes system frequency to rise. This happened in 2003 and 2006.<ref>[http://www.rpia.ro/?page_id=1668 The "50.2&nbsp;Hz" problem for photovoltaic power plants]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623061220/http://www.rpia.ro/?page_id=1668 |date=23 June 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mainsfrequency.com/verlauf_en.htm |title=Timeline of the utility frequency: Timeline}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ecofys.com/files/files/ecofys_ifk_2011_50_2_hz_summary.pdf |title=Impact of Large-scale Distributed Generation on Network Stability During Over-Frequency Events & Development of Mitigation Measures|website=ecofys.com}}</ref> However, power failures could not have been caused by photovoltaics in 2006, as solar PV played a negligible role in the German energy mix at that time.<ref name=modernpowersystems-50hz-Problem>
{{cite web
 |author=Michael Döring
 |title=Dealing with the 50.2&nbsp;Hz problem
 |url=http://www.modernpowersystems.com/features/featuredealing-with-the-50.2-hz-problem
 |date=1 January 2013
|access-date=13 July 2014
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714151720/http://www.modernpowersystems.com/features/featuredealing-with-the-50.2-hz-problem/
 |archive-date=14 July 2014
|url-status=live
}}</ref> 

In December 2012, the president of Germany's "Bundesnetzagentur", the [[Federal Network Agency]], stated that there is "no indication", that the switch to renewables is causing more power outages.<ref name=bna-21012-grid>
{{cite web
 |title=Germany's Network Agency says power outages "unlikely"
 |url=http://www.renewablesinternational.net/germanys-network-agency-says-power-outages-unlikely/150/537/59139
 |date=6 December 2012 |access-date=13 July 2014
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714140111/http://www.renewablesinternational.net/germanys-network-agency-says-power-outages-unlikely/150/537/59139/
 |archive-date=14 July 2014
|url-status=live
}}</ref> [[Amory Lovins]] from the [[Rocky Mountain Institute]] wrote about the German ''[[Energiewende]]'' in 2013, calling the discussion about grid stability a "disinformation campaign".<ref name=Amory-2013-energytransition>
{{cite web
 |author=Amory Lovins
 |title=Separating Fact from Fiction in Accounts of Germany's Renewables Revolution
 |url=http://energytransition.de/2013/08/energiewende-separating-fact-from-fiction
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714182245/http://energytransition.de/2013/08/energiewende-separating-fact-from-fiction/
 |archive-date=14 July 2014
|date=23 August 2013
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

== Potential ==
[[File:Germany GHI Solar-resource-map GlobalSolarAtlas World-Bank-Esmap-Solargis.png|thumb|212px|alt=Map of average solar radiation in Germany. For most of the country annual average values are in between 1100 and 1300 kWh per square metre.|[[Insolation|Solar potential]]]]
Germany has about the same solar potential as [[Solar power in Alaska|Alaska]], which has an average of 3.08 sun hours/day in Fairbanks.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}}
{{div flex row}}
<div style="text-align:center;">
Bremen Sun Hours/day (Avg = 2.92 hrs/day)
{{Graph:Chart
|type=rect
|width=350 |height=150
|xAxisAngle=-40
|xAxisTitle=Month
|x=Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov , Dec 
|yAxisTitle=Hours
|y=0.80, 1.65, 2.43, 4.26, 5.16, 5.08, 4.85, 4.39, 2.96, 1.83, 1.08, 0.56
|showValues=offset:4
}}
</div>
<div style="text-align:center;">
Stuttgart Sun Hours/day (Avg = 3.33 hrs/day)
{{Graph:Chart
|type=rect
|width=350 |height=150
|xAxisAngle=-40
|xAxisTitle=Month
|x=Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov , Dec 
|yAxisTitle=Hours
|y=1.07, 2.02, 3.10, 4.22, 4.77, 4.92, 5.84, 5.31, 3.95, 2.40, 1.37, 0.96
|showValues=offset:4
}}
</div>
Source: NREL, based on an average of 30 years of weather data.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pvwatts.nrel.gov/pvwatts.php |title=PV Watts|publisher=NREL|access-date=1 July 2016}}</ref>
{{Div flex row end}}

== Statistics ==
[[File:Levelized cost of electricity Germany 2018 ISE.png|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Comparison of renewable technologies and conventional power plants in Germany in EuroCent per kWh (2018)<ref name="fraunhofer-2018-lcoe">{{cite web|url=https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/de/veroeffentlichungen/studien/studie-stromgestehungskosten-erneuerbare-energien.html |title=Studie: Stromgestehungskosten erneuerbare Energien - März 2018|year=2018|publisher=Fraunhofer ISE|access-date=2 April 2018}}</ref>]]

The history of Germany's installed photovoltaic capacity, its average power output, produced electricity, and its share in the overall consumed electricity, showed a steady, exponential growth for more than two decades up to about 2012. {{Dubious |Statistics|date=January 2020}} 
Solar PV capacity doubled on average every 18 months in this period; an annual growth rate of more than 50 per cent. 
Since about 2012 growth has slowed down significantly.

===Generation===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
!Year
!Capacity<br>(MW)
!Net annual<br>generation<br>(GWh)
!% of gross<br>electricity<br>consumption
!Capacity<br>Factor (%)
|-
|1990||2||1||2e-04|| 5.7
|-
|1991||2||1||2e-04|| 5.7
|-
|1992||6||4||7e-04|| 7.6
|-
|1993||9||3||6e-04|| 3.8
|-
|1994||12||7||0.001|| 6.7
|-
|1995||18||7||0.001|| 4.4
|-
|1996||28||12||0.002|| 4.9
|-
|1997||42||18||0.003|| 4.9
|-
|1998||54||35||0.006|| 7.4
|-
|1999||70||30||0.005|| 4.9
|-
|2000||114||60||0.01|| 6.0
|-
|2001||176||76||0.013|| 4.9
|-
|2002||296||162||0.028|| 6.2
|-
|2003||435||313||0.052|| 8.2
|-
|2004||1105||557||0.091|| 5.8
|-
|2005||2056||1282||0.21|| 7.1
|-
|2006||2899||2220||0.36|| 8.7
|-
|2007||4170||3075||0.49|| 8.4
|-
|2008||6120||4420||0.72|| 8.2
|-
|2009||10566||6583||1.13|| 7.1
|-
|2010||18006||11729||1.9|| 7.4
|-
|2011||25916||19599||3.23|| 8.6
|-
|2012||34077||26220||4.35|| 8.8
|-
|2013||36710||30020||5.13|| 9.6
|-
|2014||37900||34735||6.08|| 10.9
|-
|2015||39224||37330||6.5|| 11.3
|-
|2016||40679||36820||6.4|| 10.7
|-
|2017||42293||38001||6.6|| 10.6
|-
|2018||45158||43451||7.7|| 11.6
|-
|2019||48864||44334||8.2|| 11.1
|-
|2020||54403||48525|| 8.9|| 10.1
|-
|2021||60108||48373|| 8.7|| 9.1
|-
|2022||67399||59596||11.1||10.1
|-
|2023|| 83000 || 63576|| 12.4|| 
|}
'''''Source''''': [[Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (Germany)|Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy]], for capacity figures<ref name="AGEE-stat">{{ cite web|author=Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie|url=https://www.erneuerbare-energien.de/EE/Navigation/DE/Service/Erneuerbare_Energien_in_Zahlen/Zeitreihen/zeitreihen.html |title=Time series for the development of renewable energy sources in Germany |access-date=14 May 2022|format=xls }}</ref>{{rp|7|accessdate=14 May 2019}} and other figures.<ref name="AGEE-stat" />{{rp|16–41}}

'''''Note''''': This table does not show ''net consumption'' but gross electricity consumption, which includes self-consumption of nuclear and coal-fire power plants. In 2014, net consumption stood at about 6.9% (vs. 6.1% for gross consumption).<ref name="Fraunhofer-recentfacts" />{{rp|5}}

{{Image frame
|align=right
|width=500
|content=
 {{ Graph:Chart | type=rect
 | width = 400
 | height = 250
 | yAxisTitle = Nationwide PV capacity (MW)
 | showValues = offset:4
 | y = 2 , 2 , 6 , 9 , 12 , 18 , 28 , 42 , 54 , 70 , 114 , 176 , 296 , 435 , 1105 , 2056 , 2899 , 4170 , 6120 , 10566 , 18006 , 25916 , 34077 , 36710 , 37900 , 39224 , 40679 , 42293 , 45158 , 48914 , 53721 , 58728
 | xAxisTitle = Year
 | xAxisAngle = -60
 | x = 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
 }}
|caption=Nationwide PV capacity in megawatts on a linear scale since 1990.<br />''Source'': [[Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (Germany)|Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy]]<ref name="AGEE-stat"/>{{rp|7}}
}}

=== Solar PV by type  ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Installed PV capacity in Germany by class size 2017<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pvp4grid.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/D2.1_Existing-future-prosumer-concepts_PVP4G-1.pdf |title=EXISTING AND FUTURE PV PROSUMER CONCEPTS, pg. 18}}</ref>
!Size<br>band!!% of total<br>capacity!!Notes
|-
|<10&nbsp;kW
| align="right" |14.2%
|Single direct use systems, mostly residential solar pv systems
|-
|10–100&nbsp;kW
| align="right" |38.2%
|Systems used collectively within one place such as a large residential block or large commercial premise or intensive agricultural units
|-
|100–500&nbsp;kW
| align="right" |14.1%
|Typically larger commercial centres, hospitals, schools or industrial/agricultural premises or smaller ground mounted systems
|-
|>500&nbsp;kW
| align="right" |33.5%
|Mostly district power systems, ground-mounted panels providing power to perhaps a mix of industrial and commercial sites
|}
It is interesting to note that whilst large power plants receive a lot of attention in solar power articles, installations under 0.5&nbsp;MW in size actually represented nearly two-thirds of the installed capacity in Germany in 2017.

=== PV capacity by federal states ===
[[File:Watts per capita Germany.svg|thumb|Watts per capita by state in 2013<ref name=epia-2014-p24>{{cite web|title=Global Market Outlook for Photovoltaics 2014–2018|url=http://www.epia.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/EPIA_Global_Market_Outlook_for_Photovoltaics_2014-2018_-_Medium_Res.pdf |website=epia.org|publisher=EPIA{{Snd}} European Photovoltaic Industry Association|access-date=12 June 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140625154728/http://www.epia.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/EPIA_Global_Market_Outlook_for_Photovoltaics_2014-2018_-_Medium_Res.pdf |archive-date=25 June 2014|url-status=dead|page=24}}</ref>
{| style="width: 100%; font-size: 0.8em"
|-
| valign=top |
{{legend|#FF7F2A|10{{Snd}} 50 Watts}}
{{legend|#FF6600|50{{Snd}} 100 Watts}}
{{legend|#D45500|100{{Snd}} 200 Watts}}
{{legend|#AA4400|200{{Snd}} 350 Watts}}
| valign=top |
{{legend|#803300|350{{Snd}} 500 Watts}}
{{legend|#552200|500{{Snd}} 750 Watts}}
{{legend|#2B1100|>750 Watts}}
|}
]]

Germany is made up of sixteen, partly sovereign [[States of Germany|federal states]] or {{lang|de|Länder}}. The southern states of [[Bavaria]] and [[Baden-Württemberg]] account for about half of the total, nationwide PV deployment and are also the wealthiest and most populous states after [[North Rhine-Westphalia]]. However, photovoltaic installations are widespread throughout the sixteen states and are not limited to the southern region of the country as demonstrated by a ''watts per capita'' distribution.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: right;"
|+PV capacity in MW<ref>[http://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Sachgebiete/Energie/Unternehmen_Institutionen/ErneuerbareEnergien/ZahlenDatenInformationen/StatistikberichtEEG2008pdf.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=2 Bundesnetzagentur – EEG-Statistikbericht 2008]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clearingstelle-eeg.de/files/BNetzA_Statistik_EEG_2009.pdf|title=Bundesnetzagentur – EEG-Statistikbericht 2009|website=clearingstelle-eeg.de}}</ref><ref>[http://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Sachgebiete/Energie/Unternehmen_Institutionen/ErneuerbareEnergien/ZahlenDatenInformationen/StatistikberichtEEG2010pdf.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=2 Bundesnetzagentur – EEG-Statistikbericht 2010]</ref><ref>[http://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Sachgebiete/Energie/Unternehmen_Institutionen/ErneuerbareEnergien/ZahlenDatenInformationen/StatistikberichtEEG2011pdf.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=1 Bundesnetzagentur – EEG-Statistikbericht 2011]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Sachgebiete/Energie/Unternehmen_Institutionen/ErneuerbareEnergien/ZahlenDatenInformationen/EEGinZahlen_2012.xls?__blob=publicationFile&v=2|title=Bundesnetzagentur – EEG in Zahlen 2012|website=bundesnetzagentur.de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Sachgebiete/Energie/Unternehmen_Institutionen/ErneuerbareEnergien/ZahlenDatenInformationen/EEGinZahlen_2013.xls?__blob=publicationFile&v=3|title=Bundesnetzagentur – EEG in Zahlen 2013|website=bundesnetzagentur.de}}</ref><ref>[http://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Sachgebiete/Energie/Unternehmen_Institutionen/ErneuerbareEnergien/ZahlenDatenInformationen/EEGinZahlen_2014.xlsx?__blob=publicationFile&v=2 Bundesnetzagentur – EEG in Zahlen 2014]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Sachgebiete/Energie/Unternehmen_Institutionen/ErneuerbareEnergien/ZahlenDatenInformationen/InstallierteLeistung_2015_BF.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=4|title=Bundesnetzagentur – Installierte EE-Leistung zum 31.12.2015 (vorläufig)|website=bundesnetzagentur.de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Sachgebiete/Energie/Unternehmen_Institutionen/ErneuerbareEnergien/ZahlenDatenInformationen/EEStatistikMaStRBNetzA.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=16|title=Statistiken ausgewählter erneuerbarer Energieträger zur Stromerzeugung - April 2023|author=[[Federal Network Agency]]|page=4/9|date=2023-05-19|access-date=2023-06-10}}</ref>
|-
!State
!2008&nbsp;
!2009&nbsp;
!2010&nbsp;
!2011&nbsp;
!2012&nbsp;
!2013&nbsp;
!2014&nbsp;
!2015&nbsp;
!2023<br />(April)&nbsp;
!W per <br /> capita<br />(2023-4)&nbsp;
|-
|align=left | [[File:Coat of arms of Baden-Württemberg (lesser).svg|20px]] [[Baden-Württemberg]] || 1,245 || 1,772 || 2,907 || 3,753 || 5,838.0 || 6,111.8 || 4,984.5 || 5,117.0 || 8,809 || 791
|-
|align=left | [[File:Bayern Wappen.svg|20px]] [[Bavaria]] || 2,359 || 3,955 || 6,365 || 7,961 || 9,700.5 || 10,424.7 || 11,099.8 || 11,309.2 || 19,563 || 1,484
|-
|align=left | [[File:DEU Berlin COA.svg|20px]] [[Berlin]] || 11 || 19 || 68 || 50 || 63.2 || 68.6 || 80.5 || 83.9 || 215 || 58
|-
|align=left | [[File:Brandenburg Wappen.svg|20px]] [[Brandenburg]] || 72 || 219 || 638 || 1,313 || 2,576.1 || 2,711.2 || 2,901.0 || 2,981.5 || 5,920 || 2,332
|-
|align=left | [[File:Bremen Wappen(Mittel).svg|20px]] [[Bremen (state)|Bremen]] || 4 || 5 || 14 || 30 || 32.3 || 35.3 || 39.9 || 42.2 || 70 || 103
|-
|align=left | [[File:DEU Hamburg COA.svg|20px]] [[Hamburg]] || 7 || 9 || 27 || 25 || 32.1 || 35.8 || 36.5 || 36.9 || 90 || 48
|-
|align=left | [[File:Coat of arms of Hesse.svg|20px]] [[Hesse]] || 350 || 549 || 868 || 1,174 || 1,520.9 || 1,661.8 || 1,768.5 || 1,811.2 || 3,201 || 508
|-
|align=left | [[File:Coat of arms of Lower Saxony.svg|20px]] [[Lower Saxony]] || 352 || 709 || 1,479 || 2,051 || 3,045.1 || 3,257.4 || 3,490.6 || 3,580.4 || 5,957 || 742
|-
|align=left | [[File:Coat of arms of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (great).svg|20px]] [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]] || 48 || 88 || 263 || 455 || 957.7 || 1,098.5 || 1,337.9 || 1,414.4 || 3,519 || 2,184
|-
|align=left | [[File:Coat of arms of North Rhine-Westfalia.svg|20px]] [[North Rhine-Westphalia]] || 617 || 1,046 || 1,925 || 2,601 || 3,582.0 || 3,878.5 || 4,234.9 || 4,363.7 || 8,113 || 452
|-
|align=left | [[File:Coat of arms of Rhineland-Palatinate.svg|20px]] [[Rhineland-Palatinate]] || 332 || 504 || 841 || 1,124 || 1,528.2 || 1,670.8 || 1,862.2 || 1,920.5 || 3,356 || 817
|-
|align=left | [[File:Wappen des Saarlands.svg|20px]] [[Saarland]] || 67 || 100 || 158 || 218 || 318.8 || 365.4 || 407.3 || 415.8 || 738 || 751
|-
|align=left | [[File:Coat of arms of Saxony.svg|20px]] [[Saxony]] || 168 || 288 || 529 || 836 || 1,280.8 || 1,412.3 || 1,575.1 || 1,607.5 || 2,995 || 740
|-
|align=left | [[File:Wappen Sachsen-Anhalt.svg|20px]] [[Saxony-Anhalt]] || 94 || 181 || 450 || 817 || 1,377.9 || 1,556.1 || 1,828.7 || 1,962.6 || 3,891 || 1,793
|-
|align=left | [[File:DEU Schleswig-Holstein COA.svg|20px]] [[Schleswig-Holstein]] || 159 || 310 || 695 || 992 || 1,351.5 || 1,407.8 || 1,468.6 || 1,498.3 || 2,587 || 885
|-
|align=left | [[File:Coat of arms of Thuringia.svg|20px]] [[Thuringia]] || 95 || 159 || 327 || 467 || 871.7 || 1,013.9 || 1,119.9 || 1,187.4 || 2,226 || 1,055
|-style="background:#FFFFCC;"
|align=left | '''Cumulative total installed''' || 5,979 || 9,913 || 17,554 || 23,866 || 34,076.7 || 36,710.1 || 38,236.0 || 39,332.4 || 71,259 || 856
|-
|align=left | '''Capacity added''' || {{N/A}} || 3,934 || 7,641 || 6,312 || 10,210.7 || 2,633.4 || 1,525.9 || 1,096.4
|}

== Photovoltaic power stations ==
{{main|List of photovoltaic power stations}}
{{update section|date=June 2023}}

=== Largest photovoltaic power stations ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! PV Power station
! [[Nameplate capacity|Capacity]]<br />in [[Megawatt|MW]][[Watt-peak|<sub>p</sub>]]
!Commissioning
!Location
! Notes
|- 
| Witznitz
| align=center | 605
| 2024
| Leipzig
| <ref>{{cite web |title=Europe's largest PV plant goes online |url=https://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2024-04/61905988-europe-s-largest-pv-plant-goes-online-451.htm |website=FinanzNachrichten.de |date=10 April 2024}}</ref>
|- 
| Solarpark Weesow-Willmersdorf
| align=center | 187
| 2020
|{{WikidataCoord|Q71147169|display=inline|name=Solarpark Weesow-Willmersdorf}}
| <ref>{{Cite web |title=Der EnBW-Solarpark in Weesow-Willmersdorf {{!}} EnBW |url=https://www.enbw.com/erneuerbare-energien/solarenergie/solarpark-weesow/ |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=Der EnBW-Solarpark in Weesow-Willmersdorf |language=de}}</ref>
|-
|Solarpark Tramm-Göhten
| align=center | 172
| 2022
|{{Coord|53.5267|11.6609|display=inline|name=Solarpark Tramm-Göhten}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=macmyday |date=2018-06-07 |title=Projekte |url=https://belectric.com/projekte/ |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=BELECTRIC |language=de-DE}}</ref>
|- 
| [[Solarpark Meuro]]
| align=center | 166
|2011/2012
|{{WikidataCoord|Q7557076|display=inline|name=Solarpark Meuro}}
| <ref name="PV">PV Resources.com (2009). [http://www.pvresources.com/en/top50pv.php World's largest photovoltaic power plants]</ref>
|-
|Solarpark Gottesgabe
| align=center | 150
|2021
|{{WikidataCoord|Q111019562|display=inline|name=Solarpark Gottesgabe}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Solarpark Gottesgabe {{!}} EnBW |url=https://www.enbw.com/erneuerbare-energien/solarenergie/solarpark-gottesgabe/ |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=Solarpark Gottesgabe |language=de}}</ref>
|-
|Solarpark Alttrebbin
| align=center | 150
|2021
|{{WikidataCoord|Q108586840|display=inline|name=Solarpark Alttrebbin}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Solarpark Alttrebin {{!}} EnBW |url=https://www.enbw.com/erneuerbare-energien/solarenergie/solarpark-alttrebbin/ |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=Solarpark Alttrebin |language=de}}</ref>
|- 
| [[Neuhardenberg Solar Park]]
| align=center | 145
|September 2012
|{{WikidataCoord|Q7001775|display=inline|name=Neuhardenberg Solar Park}}
| <ref name="PV" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lima-group.com/en-au/references/contract-for-services.php?showproject=55 |title=Contract for services |website=LIMA Group GmbH }}</ref>
|-
| [[Templin Solar Park]]
| align=center | 128.5
|September 2012
|{{WikidataCoord|Q7698846|display=inline|name=Templin Solar Park}}
| <ref name="PV" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cfb-fonds.com/en/cfb-news/news/single-view/commerz-real-kauft-groessten-solarpark-deutschlands |title=CFB-Fonds|author=CFB News: Commerz Real Acquires Germany's Largest Solar Park}}</ref>
|-
| Solarpark Schornhof
| align=center | 120
|2020
|{{WikidataCoord|Q111968016|display=inline|name=Solarpark Schornhof}}
| <ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2023-01-30 |title=MKG GÖBEL / 120 MWp solar park Schornhof |url=https://www.mkg-goebel.de/en/schornhof/ |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=MKG GÖBEL |language=en-GB}}</ref>
|-
| [[Brandenburg-Briest Solarpark]]
| align=center | 91
|December 2011
|{{WikidataCoord|Q175521|display=inline|name=Brandenburg-Briest Solarpark}}
|
|-
| Solarpark Gaarz
| align=center | 90
|2021
|{{Coord|53.4148|12.2470|display=inline|name=Solarpark Gaarz}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gaarz, Deutschland - ENERPARC AG |url=https://www.enerparc.de/projekte/projekt-gaarz-deutschland |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=www.enerparc.de |language=de}}</ref>
|- 
| [[Solarpark Finow Tower]]
| align=center | 84.7
|2010/2011
|{{WikidataCoord|Q7557073|display=inline|name=Solarpark Finow Tower}}
|
|- 
| [[Eggebek Solar Park]]
| align=center | 83.6
|2011
|{{WikidataCoord|Q5347878|display=inline|name=Eggebek Solar Park}}
|
|-
| [[Finsterwalde Solar Park]]
| align=center | 80.7
|2009/2010
|{{WikidataCoord|Q45442|display=inline|name=Finsterwalde Solar Park}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pv-tech.org/news/_a/good_energies_nibc_infrastructure_partners_acquire_finsterwalde_ii_and_fins/ |title=Good Energies, NIBC Infrastructure Partners acquire Finsterwalde II and Finsterwalde III|website=pv-tech.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.u-energy.de/download/2010_06_18_realisierung_solarpark_finsterwalde_2_und_3_eng.pdf |title=Implementation of the 39 MWp{{Snd}} "Solar Park Finsterwalde II and Finsterwalde III"|website=u-energy.de}}</ref>
|-
| Solarpark Zietlitz 
| align=center | 76
| 2021
|{{Coord|53.6391|12.3643|display=inline|name=Solarpark Zietlitz}}
| <ref>{{Cite web |last=Friedrich |first=Mariana |date=2020-07-17 |title=Successful ground-breaking ceremony: start of construction for the Zietlitz solar park in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |url=https://goldbecksolar.com/en/spatenstich-solarpark-zielitz/ |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=Goldbeck Solar GmbH |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| [[Lieberose Photovoltaic Park]]
| align=center | 71.8
|2009
|{{WikidataCoord|Q828471|display=inline|name=Lieberose Photovoltaic Park}}
| <ref name="globalsolartechnology">{{cite web|url=http://globalsolartechnology.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3804&Itemid=9 |title=Lieberose solar farm becomes Germany's biggest, World's second-biggest}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,643961,00.html |title=Leaders In Alternative Energy: Germany Turns On World's Biggest Solar Power Project|author=SPIEGEL ONLINE, Hamburg, Germany|date=20 August 2009|work=Der Spiegel}}</ref>
|-
| [[Solarpark Alt Daber]]
| align=center | 67.8
|2011
|{{WikidataCoord|Q7557069|display=inline|name=Solarpark Alt Daber}}
| <ref name="PV" />
|-
|Solarpark Ganzlin
| align=center | 65
| 2020
|{{Coord|53.3818|12.2688|display=inline|name=Solarpark Ganzlin}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Solarpark Ganzlin: PV-Freiflächenanlage von GP JOULE |url=https://www.gp-joule.com/de/referenzen/solar/solarpark-ganzlin |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=www.gp-joule.com |language=de-DE}}</ref>
|-
|Solarpark Lauterbach
| align=center | 54.7
| 2022
|{{Coord|50.59600|9.36900|display=inline|name=Solarpark Lauterbach}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Solarpark Lauterbach {{!}} Erneuerbare Energien {{!}} UmweltBank |url=https://www.umweltbank.de/firmen/projekte-finanzieren/photovoltaik/solarpark-lauterbach |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=UmweltBank {{!}} Deutschlands grünste Bank |language=de}}</ref>
|-
| [[Strasskirchen Solar Park]]
| align=center | 54
|December 2009
|{{WikidataCoord|Q3306799|display=inline|name=Strasskirchen Solar Park}}
| <ref name="PV" />
|-
| [[Walddrehna Solar Park]]
| align=center | 52.3
|2012
|{{WikidataCoord|Q7961375|display=inline|name=Walddrehna Solar Park}}
|
|-
| [[Waldpolenz Solar Park]]
| align=center | 52
|December 2008
|{{WikidataCoord|Q2916493|display=inline|name=Waldpolenz Solar Park}}
| <ref name="east">{{cite web|url=http://www.juwi.de/uploads/media/PM_Solar_Brandis-Koethen_2008.12.pdf |title=Germany's largest Solar parks connected to the grid (19 Dec 08)|website=juwi.de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sonnenseite.com/index.php?pageID=6&news:oid=n6986&template=news_detail.html |title=Large photovoltaic plant in Muldentalkreis|website=sonnenseite.com}}</ref>
|- 
| [[Tutow Solar Park]]
| align=center | 52
|2009/2010/2011
|{{WikidataCoord|Q7856981|display=inline|name=Tutow Solar Park}}
|
|}
{{maplink|type=named|from=#Largest photovoltaic power stations|text=Location map}}

=== Other notable photovoltaic stations ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
 ! Name & Description
 ! [[Nameplate capacity|Capacity]]<br />in [[Megawatt|MW]][[Watt-peak|<sub>p</sub>]]
 ! Location
 ! Annual yield<br />in [[Megawatt-hour|MWh]]
 ! Capacity factor
 ! Coordinates
 |-
 | align=left | [[Erlasee Solar Park]], 1408 [[Solon SE|SOLON]]
 | 12
 | [[Arnstein]]
 | 14,000
 | 0.13
 | align=left | {{coord|50|0|10|N|9|55|15|E |type:landmark_region:DE-BY |name=Erlasee Solar Park }}
 |-
 | align=left | [[Gottelborn Solar Park]]
 | 8.4
 | Göttelborn
 | n.a.
 | n.a.
 | align=left | {{WikidataCoord|Q5587998|display=inline|name=Gottelborn Solar Park}}
 |-
 | align=left | [[Bavaria Solarpark]], 57,600 solar modules 
 | 6.3
 | [[Mühlhausen]]
 | 6,750
 | 0.12
 | align=left | {{coord|49|09|29|N|11|25|59|E |type:landmark_region:DE-TH |name=Bavaria Solarpark }}
 |-
 | align=left | [[Rote Jahne Solar Park]], 92,880 thin-film modules,<br />[[First Solar]], FS-260, FS-262 and FS-265<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071011155343/http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=48027 Construction Complete on 6&nbsp;MW Thin-Film PV Installation in Germany]}} ''Renewable Energy Access'', 5 April 2007.</ref><ref>https://www.webcitation.org/6QwLVgSYo?url=http://www.photovoltaik-im-web.de/Rote_Jahne.pdf Rote Jahne Factsheet (de)</ref>
 | 6.0
 | [[Doberschütz]]
 | 5,700
 | 0.11
 | align=left | {{WikidataCoord|Q7370354|display=inline|name=Rote Jahne Solar Park}}
 |-
 | align=left | Bürstadt Solar Farm, 30,000 [[BP Solar]] modules 
 | 5.0
 | [[Bürstadt]]
 | 4,200
 | 0.10
 | align=left | {{coord|49|39|N|8|28|E |type:landmark_region:DE-HE |name= }}
 |-
 | align=left | Espenhain, 33,500 Shell Solar modules
 | 5.0
 | [[Espenhain]] 
 | 5,000
 | 0.11
 | align=left | {{coord|51|12|N|12|31|E |type:landmark_region:DE-SN |name= }}
 |-
 | align=left | [[Geiseltalsee Solarpark]], 24,864 BP solar modules 
 | 4.0
 | [[Merseburg]]
 | 3,400
 | 0.10
 | align=left | {{coord|51|22|N|12|0|E |type:landmark_region:DE-ST |name=Geiseltalsee Solarpark }}
 |-
 | align=left | Hemau Solar Farm, 32,740 solar modules 
 | 4.0
 | [[Hemau]]
 | 3,900
 | 0.11
 | align=left | {{coord|49|3|N|11|47|E |type:landmark_region:DE-BY |name= }}
 |-
 | align=left | Solara, [[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]] and [[Kyocera]] solar modules 
 | 3.3
 | [[Dingolfing]]
 | 3,050
 | 0.11
 | align=left | {{coord|48|38|N|12|30|E |type:landmark_region:DE-BY |name= }}
 |-
 | align=left | [https://www.ews-schoenau.de/ews/energieerzeugung/projektvorstellung/solarpark-herten/ Solarpark Herten], 11.319 Modules from [[Astronergy]]
 | 3
 | [[Rheinfelden (Baden)|Rheinfelden]]
 | 3,000
 | 0.11
 | align=left | {{coord|47|32|39|N|7|43|30|E |type:landmark_region:DE-BY |name= }}
 |-
 | align=left | [[Bavaria Solarpark]], Sharp solar modules 
 | 1.9
 | Günching
 | n.a.
 | n.a.
 | align=left | {{coord|49.2636|11.5907|name=Bavaria Solarpark}}
 |-
 | align=left | [[Bavaria Solarpark]], Sharp solar modules
 | 1.9
 | Minihof
 | n.a.
 | n.a.
 | align=left | {{coord|48.47818|12.91914|name=Bavaria Solarpark}}
 |}
{{maplink|type=named|from=#Other notable photovoltaic stations|text=Location map}}

== Gallery ==
<gallery class="center" mode="packed" heights="130px">
File:Krughütte Luftaufnahme Parabel.jpg|[[Krughütte Solar Park]]
File:Alsfeld Lingelbach Breitenbacher Strasse 8 n 13338.png|Rooftop solar on half-timbered house
File:LieberoseSolarpark.jpg|[[Lieberose Photovoltaic Park]]
File:Greifswald Dorfkirche-Wieck May-2009 SL272548.jpg|Solar panels on a church
File:SolarparkEggebek.jpg|[[Eggebek Solar Park]]
File:Emden Bunker.jpg|Old bunker cladded with solar
File:Feuerwehr Affolterbach Hessen 2011.JPG|Rooftop solar PV on a fire department building
File:Ivenack-scheune.jpg|PV system on a barn
File:Photovoltaik Zugspitze.jpg|[[Zugspitze]], Germany's highest situated PV system
File:SolarFachwerkhaus.jpg|A small, roof-top mounted PV system in [[Bonn]]
Image:Berlin pv-system block-103 20050309 p1010367.jpg|[[Rooftop photovoltaic power station]] in Berlin
Image:Juwi PV Field.jpg|The [[Waldpolenz Solar Park]] uses [[thin film solar cell|thin-film]] [[Cadmium telluride photovoltaics|CdTe-modules]].
File:Solarfeld Erlasee, 1.jpg|[[Erlasee Solar Park|Erlasee]] was the [[List of photovoltaic power stations#World's largest photovoltaic power stations|world's largest solar farm]] in 2006/2007.
File:SolarturmJülich.jpg|The [[Jülich Solar Tower]], a [[concentrated solar power]] plant
File:Fotovoltaik Goettelborn.jpg|The [[Gottelborn Solar Park]] in front of [[Fossil-fuel power station|coal-fired power plant]] "Weiher III"
File:Himmelspfeil Göttelborn 2008.jpg|Viewing platform at the Gottelborn Solar Park
</gallery>

== Companies ==
Some companies have collapsed since 2008, facing harsh competition from imported solar panels. Some were taken over like [[Bosch Solar Energy]] by [[SolarWorld]]. Major German solar companies include:

{{Div col |colwidth=25em}}
* Aleo Solar
* [[Bosch Solar Energy]]
* [[Centrosolar]]
* [[Centrotherm Photovoltaics]]
* [[Conergy]]
* [[Gehrlicher Solar]]
* [[IBC SOLAR]]
* [[Juwi]]
* [[Meyer Burger]]
* [[Phoenix Solar]]
* [[Q-Cells]]
* [[Roth & Rau]]
* [[Singulus Technologies]]
* [[SMA Solar Technology]]
* [[SolarWorld]]
* [[Solon SE]]
{{Div col end}}

== See also ==
* [[German Solar Industry Association]]
* [[Renewable energy in Germany]]
* [[Solar power in the European Union]]
* [[Solar power by country]]
* [[Wind power in Germany]]
* [[Geothermal power in Germany]]
* [[List of renewable energy topics by country|Renewable energy by country]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}

*[https://www.energy-charts.de/index.htm Energy Charts – interactive graphs of German electricity production and market prices (Fraunhofer ISE)]
*[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/04/AR2007050402466.html Cloudy Germany a Powerhouse in Solar Energy, ''Washington Post'', 2007]
*[http://www.britischebotschaft.de/en/embassy/s&i/notes/rt-note06.5006(m)_pv.htm Southern Germany develops its PV Capacities]
*[https://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSL2389939520070730 Cloudy Germany unlikely hotspot for solar power]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7181866.stm Germany's sunny revolution]
*[http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3430319,00.html World's Biggest Solar Plant Goes Online in Germany]
*[http://energieatlas.org/ Official site about solar power and renewable Energy in the Emscher-Lippe-Region] (German)
*{{cite web | url= http://repec.rwi-essen.de/files/REP_09_156.pdf
 | title= Economic Impacts from the Promotion of Renewable Energy Technologies — The German Experience
 | last=Frondel |first= Manuel |author2=Christoph M. Schmidt |author3=Nolan Ritter |author4=Colin Vance
 |date=November 2009 | work= Ruhr Economic Papers | publisher= [[RWI Essen]]
| access-date= 26 November 2010 }} 
*{{cite web |url= http://www.sma.de/en/news-information/pv-electricity-produced-in-germany.html 
 |title= Performance of Photovoltaics (PV) in Germany
 |publisher= [[SMA Solar Technology]] AG
 |access-date= 4 August 2011 }}
 
{{Solar power in Europe}}
{{Renewable energy by country}}
{{Energy in Germany}}

{{Portal bar|Renewable energy|Germany}}

[[Category:Solar power in Germany| ]]