- EUPD Research sees German solar PV installations for the year 2021 to grow to 6 GW
- Utility scale projects are likely to add the highest number, and non-funded PPA projects may add another 400 MW
- The market research firm explains this positive outlook due to the increased awareness of sustainability issues due to the pandemic
In the year 2021, the German solar PV market is likely to grow to add a total of 6 GW of fresh capacity, reflecting a growth of 23% on annual basis, according to German market research firm EUPD Research. This would be up from 4.88 GW Bundesnetzagentur reported for the country for the year 2019 (see Germany Exited 2020 With 4.88 GW New Solar Installed).
Market researchers at EUPD Research share a significantly positive outlook for Germany due to the awareness the COVID-19 pandemic has generated around the subject of sustainability among end consumers, explained Project Manager of EUPD Research study Global PV InstallerMonitor 2020/2021 in which it makes these assertions. In November 2020, EUPD had warned that, ‘the draft law for the EEG 2021 will lead to the shutdown of up to 447,000 solar power systems in Germany by 2030 and to considerable economic damage.’ Together with solar associations it was calling for market barriers to be removed. And that was the case, as several of the solar barriers in the first draft of Germany’s FIT law were removed in the version that was finally passed.
Other factors that work in favor of the German PV market are increased electricity prices in the country, growing interest in electric mobility that will encourage consumers to opt for solar installations. In the commercial & industrial (C&I) segment, different development can be expected due to the EEG amendments as of January 1, 2021.
Biggest growth is expected in the large scale installations, awarded during previous years through competitive auctions. Non-EEG projects with a power purchase agreement (PPA) are likely to add an additional 400 MW of new installations in 2021.
If Germany keeps adding 500 MW installations every month as it did in January 2021, the 6 GW mark could indeed very well be met (see Germany Installed 536 MW New Solar In January 2021).
