Germany to add 17.5 GW of photovoltaic in 2024

The Federal Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) expects that 17.5 GW of new photovoltaic capacity will be installed across Germany in 2024, reaching a new record level. In comparison, 15.3 GW of photovoltaic (PV) facilities were connected to the grid in 2023, the association said on Wednesday.

“The continuous increase in photovoltaic expansion in Germany is an encouraging sign of progress in the energy transition,” BDEW executive board chairwoman Kerstin Andreae commented in the statement.

However, Andreae warned that around half of the newly installed systems fall below the 100-kilowatt capacity threshold. Under current regulation, these may potentially feed into the grid without control, posing a risk of overloading the system. Problems could arise if feed-in exceeds consumption during days of low demand and high solar power generation.

To mitigate the issue, BDEW calls for the urgent implementation of an amendment to the Energy Industry Act (EnWG), which would allow limiting new PV systems to 50% of their maximum potential output. The measure will relieve the problem until grid operators receive the right to control smaller solar systems, according to Andreae.