The solar photovoltaic market in Europe experienced a year of growth in 2015 for the first time since 2010-2011, adding 8.1 GW of solar power to the grid - a 15% increase from 7 GW in 2014, according to a new market report from SolarPower Europe. This result is slightly higher than initial estimates released earlier in the year, which saw 8 GW of solar power added to the grid.

The report finds that Europe is still the most solarised continent in the world, with nearly 100 GW of installed capacity. It adds that no other region can boast solar shares as high as Europe - on average 4% of electricity consumption, increasing to around 8% in the most mature markets - Germany, Greece and Italy. The base for growth in Europe’s solar demand in 2015 mainly derives from three countries – the UK, Germany and France. These three markets accounted for 75% of the new connections, equal to 5.3 GW.

The report underlines that Europe is in a transition phase from solar markets that grew on feed-in tariff incentive schemes to new market-based frameworks. The focus should now be on Europe creating a smart electricity market design that builds on the strengths of solar power technology, it said.

On the global scale, the report finds that grid-connected solar increased by 25% to an estimated 50.1 GW - an estimated 229 GW of solar power are now connected, up from 178 GW in 2014.

SolarPower Europe’s market report differs from other market analysis in that it examines grid-connected solar rather than product shipments or installations.

For more information:
http://www.solarpowereurope.org/newsletter-april-2016/our-news/2015-a-positive-year-for-solar/