From 2013 to 2022, Germany’s photovoltaic capacity grew at an average annual rate of six percent. Among the top eight European countries in solar capacity, Germany ranks seventh, ahead of Italy. Poland leads this group with a remarkable annual growth rate of 137 percent since 2013, nearly tripling its solar potential from 2020 to 2022 alone. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom follow with growth rates of 40 percent and 17 percent respectively.

Globally, the installed and grid-connected photovoltaic systems reached one terawatt in 2022, constituting about one-third of all renewable energy capacity and 12 percent of total electricity generation capacity. China significantly contributed to this growth, accounting for approximately 57 percent of global solar capacity, with a notable presence in Germany’s solar panel imports.