Solar photovoltaic (PV) generation nearly doubled across the EU in 2022.

According to a new report from Solar Power Europe, the bloc added a record-breaking 41.4 gigawatt (GW) of solar generation in 2022, up 47% from 28.1GW in 2021.

The new capacity is equivalent to the power needs of 12.4 million homes and replaces 102 liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers.

The organisation predicts that over the year 2023, 53.6GW of new solar generation will be developed across the EU, which will likely lead to 85GW per year by 2026. This means the EU solar market is set to more than double within four years and reach 484GW by 2026.

Recommendation

The International Energy Agency recommends that the EU installs around 60GW of solar generation in 2023 to compensate for shortfalls in Russian gas supply.

With rapid and targeted support, solar power could fill the gap, reaching up to 67.8GW of installations in 2023, the organisation said.

There are now 10 EU countries that are adding at least one GW of solar per year.

Germany topped the league tables, adding almost 8GW in 2022, followed by Spain (7.5GW), Poland (4.9GW), the Netherlands (4GW) and France (2.7GW).