Germany installed 16.4 GW of new solar PV capacity in 2025, marginally lower than the 16.73 GW added in 2024, according to the Federal Network Agency
Nearly half of the new capacity came from rooftop solar, with the rest from ground-mounted projects; Bavaria led installations with about 4.5 GW
Solar accounted for the largest share of Germany’s nearly 21 GW of renewable capacity additions in 2025
Germany added 16.4 GW of new solar power capacity in 2025, slightly less than in 2024, according to the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur). The data indicates a modest slowdown in annual solar installations compared to the previous year’s 16.73 GW.
The agency’s 2025 statistics are slightly higher than Fraunhofer ISE’s estimate of 16.2 GW DC/14.3 GW AC, according to energy-charts.info (see Germany Installed 16.2 GW DC Solar PV Capacity In 2025). Its estimates are based on registrations in the Market Master Data Register. The final analysis of the installations will be published in mid-January 2026.
A little less than half of the solar capacity came from rooftop installations, and the remaining half from ground-mounted PV, compared with the previous year, when rooftop deployments were twice as high as for ground-mounted PV. As per the agency, Bavaria accounted for most of this capacity, installing 4.5 GW.
Balcony solar or plug-and-play installations registered in the agency’s market master data register in 2025 reached approximately 430,000 units, representing 3.2%, or 500 MW, of the total solar capacity installed last year. It was nevertheless up from 2.5% or 400 MW installed in 2024.
Solar was the driving force behind the country’s almost 21 GW of renewable energy capacity additions in 2025, reaching close to 210 GW, accounting for an 11% year-on-year (YoY) increase.
Onshore wind followed next with 4.6 GW, rising from 2.6 GW of installations reported in 2024. However, its share is set to increase as the government granted permits for almost 20.8 GW of onshore wind projects in 2025. Only 300 MW of offshore wind capacity was commissioned last year. With the addition of around 55 MW in 2025, the total installed capacity of biomass plants remained almost constant, at around 9.2 GW, according to the agency.
“Solar energy expansion was once again at the forefront last year. The total capacity of 117 gigawatts at the end of the year shows good progress towards the expansion targets,” said President of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller. “Onshore wind energy made significant gains last year with a total capacity of 68.1 gigawatts.”
To achieve the 215 GW targeted solar PV capacity by 2030, Germany will need to install an average of 19.6 GW annually, as per the agency.
