Data / Facts

Photovoltaics is a fast growing market: The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of PV installations was 24% between 2010 to 2017. The intention of the »Photovoltaics Report« is to provide up-to-date information on the PV market and on efficiencies of solar cells, modules and systems. Moreover, data on inverters, energy payback time and price developments are presented.

Germany is leaving the age of fossil fuel behind. In building a sustainable energy future, photovoltaics is going to have an important role. The following summary consists of the most recent facts, figures and findings and shall assist in forming an overall assessment of the photovoltaic expansion in Germany.

These slides visualize power generation data of 2017 along with trends in individual sources (renewable and conventional), including a comparison with the previous year.

In total, renewable energy sources – solar, wind, hydropower, and biomass – produced approximately 210 TWh of electricity in 2017. This is 15% higher than the previous year's level at 182 TWh. Renewables thus made up around 38% of public net power supply. The share in gross power supply – including power plants in the processing sector, the mining sector, quarries, and excavation – is around 35%. 

Interactive graphics and the latest power production data are available at www.energy-charts.de.

The study compares the present costs for conversion of different energy forms into electricity and gives a prognosis for the further cost development up to 2035. The scientists in Freiburg analyze both the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) from renewables as well as from conventional energy technologies. They present comparative figures for new power plants constructed in Germany, which are based on solar, wind energy and biogas as well as brown coal, hard coal and gas.

The study was carried out in the research topic Energy System Analysis and is also available in german language.

As commissioned by the German embassy in Cairo, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, in cooperation with SolarizEgypt, has also calculated the electricity generation costs (LCOE) for renewable technologies and conventional power plants in Egypt. The full study (December 2016) is available in english and arabic language.

To reach the German targets to reduce CO2-emissions by 80 to 95% in relation to 1990 by 2050 an increase of installed capacity of renewable energy technologies, storages as well as technologies for power-to-X applications is well accepted in research in the field of energy system analysis. However current studies all result in different system compositions, which are due to many reasons. This meta-analysis assesses the bandwidth of technologies in the year 2050, needed for the above mentioned CO2-emission reduction, and compares the values to an extrapolation of current trend of the technologies. It is the goal to identify technology aspects, which need to be adapted to reach the goals as well as show trends in technologies, which are in line with the CO2-emission reduction targets.

The German Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and the US  National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL, have compiled a study that describes the status of both the current market as well as the state-of-the-art for concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) technology. This young technology has achieved tremendous progress and has the potential for delivering solar electricity at a cost-competitive level in sun-rich regions with high direct irradiation values. The study gives an overview of all installations bigger than 1 MW, also of all companies active in the field of high and low concentration technologies as well as of efficiency values  and the levelized cost of electricity. The study will regularly be updated.

These slides visualize power generation data of 2016 along with trends in individual sources (renewable and conventional), including a comparison with the previous year.

In total, renewable energy sources – solar, wind, hydropower, and biomass – produced approximately 186 TWh of electricity in 2016. There was no increase in production compared to 2015. Renewables thus made up around 34% of public net power supply. The share in gross power supply – including power plants in the processing sector, the mining sector, quarries, and excavation – is around 32%.

Interactive graphics and the latest power production data are available at www.energy-charts.de.

The percentage of renewables in the electricity supply is steadily growing worldwide. Using a combination of different renewable sources, an ecological and economical electricity mix can be realized across national borders. Decisive here is the reliable supply, storage and distribution of renewable electricity. In the Supergrid project, several Fraunhofer institutes joined together to research just how such an electricity and transmission grid between North Africa and Europe could function. They developed scenarios for a renewable energy system in the MENA region and compared potential technologies. Detailed solutions were proposed and regulatory mechanisms were evaluated.

These slides visualize power generation data of 2015 along with trends in individual sources (renewable and conventional), including a comparison with the previous year.

In total, renewable energy sources – solar, wind, hydropower, and biomass – produced approximately 190 TWh of electricity in 2015, 30 TWh more than in the first half of 2014, equivalent to a 20% increase. Renewables thus made up around 35% of public net power supply.

Interactive graphics and the latest power production data are available at www.energy-charts.de.

The transformation of the energy system in Germany is a declared political goal of the federal government. By 2050, greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by at least 80 percent under 1990 levels. This necessitates a massive reduction in energy-related CO₂ emissions, forcing a fundamental restructuring of the present energy system towards a largely carbon-free energy supply. The transformation requires major investments and will not happen of its own accord. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE now presented a study which investigates the system and cost developments of the German energy system transformation in line with meeting the declared climate targets.

The study covers the period starting from today up to 2050. The model-based study considers all relevant energy sectors and energy carriers to provide a detailed analysis on how Germany can achieve its climate goals through efficient energy use and renewable energy. Considering various scenarios, simulations show different, cost-optimized pathways for achieving the energy transformation.

According to a study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE commissioned by Agora Energiewende, solar energy will become the cheapest power source in many parts of the world. By 2025, solar power in sunny regions will be cheaper than power from coal or gas.

The slides show time series of the production by photovoltaic, wind and conventional energies in Germany combined with the electricity prices (Day-Ahead and Intraday) of the European Energy Exchange, EEX. Furthermore analysis on the history of electricity prices are provided.

Interactive graphics and the latest spot-prices and production data are available at www.energy-charts.de.

The slides show the monthly production of photovoltaic, wind and conventional energies in Germany.

Visit also www.energy-charts.de for interactive graphs displaying actual electricity production and spot market prices in Germany.