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Bavaria Holds Germany’s Largest Solar PV Installed Capacity

Adding Over 2 GW in 2022, Germany's State of Bavaria Increases Its Massive Lead In German Solar Installations

Anu Bhambhani
  • Germany's Bundesnetzagentur says Bavaria is the leading state for the country's cumulative solar PV installations with 18.3 GW capacity
  • In 2022, the country added 7.19 GW new PV with Bavaria contributing over 2.09 GW
  • 2022 additions also included 2.42 GW awarded under EEG scheme and close to 873 MW from unsubsidized facilities

Of Germany's cumulative solar PV capacity installed till the end of 2022 adding up to 66.5 GW, it was the state of Bavaria that holds the largest capacity of 18.3 GW with 748,375 systems installed, followed by Baden-Wuerttemberg contributing 8.28 GW, and North Rhine-Westphalia operating nearly 7.5 GW, according to the latest numbers shared by Bundesnetzagentur. End of 2022, total solar installations exceeded the operating wind on- and offshore capacity, which added up to 66.4 GW.

Bundesnetzagentur's solar installation data here shows the cumulative PV capacity installed in Germany till 2022-end (third column in table), with Bavaria holding the maximum capacity at 18.3 GW. (Source: Bundesnetzagentur)

Bavaria's share comprises more than 2.09 GW the state saw coming online in 2022 with the installation of 71,719 systems with Baden-Wuerttemberg bringing in 786.8 MW in the form of 55,588 systems, among other states.

In 2022, 4 German states added more than 1 GW renewables, but Bavaria was the only state to exceed the GW level for solar installations:

  • Bavaria: 2,091 MW
  • Northrhine-Westphalia: 899 MW
  • Brandenburg: 794 MW
  • Baden Württemberg: 785 MW
  • Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen): 578

Bundesnetzagentur's statistics show, while Germany installed 7.19 GW new PV in 2022, during the year 2,179 systems with 12.1 MW capacity were dismantled or decommissioned (see Germany Exited 2022 With 7.2 GW New Solar Installed).

In 2022, Germany cleared 2.42 GW PV under its EEG tender scheme including 1.93 GW large scale PV plants, while around 873 MW came from outside the tenders from unsubsidized facilities.

Germany's EEG regime supports solar power systems with state funding. Its latest version EEG 2023, implemented since January 1, 2023 gives remuneration of up to €0.134/kWh for rooftop systems that entirely feed in all the electricity generated, and those that are deployed for self-consumption but also feed some electricity into the grid get a subsidy of €0.086/kWh, according to the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK).

The European Commission approved the EEG 2023 state support plan of €28 billion in December 2022 (see EU Approves Modified EEG Renewables Scheme Of Germany).

Recently, in order to encourage investor interest in capacity awarded under EEG auctions, Bundesnetzagentur increased the ceiling tariff for ground mounted solar systems at €0.0737/kWh and for rooftop PV systems at €0.1125/kWh in 2023 (see Germany Caps Ground Mounted PV Tender Tariff At €0.0737/kWh).