The expansion of solar power generation in Germany is progressing. Compared to the previous year, the number of installations has increased by almost 30 per cent. "The figures show: The future belongs to renewables", comments Markus W. Voigt, CEO of the aream Group. However, in view of climate change and record temperatures, it is important not to rest on past successes.

The sun is becoming increasingly important as an energy supplier for German companies and private households. According to the Federal Statistical Office, a good 3.4 million photovoltaic systems with a total rated output of around 81,500 megawatts were installed on roofs and properties in Germany in April 2024. This means that the number of systems increased by 29.8 per cent compared to the same month last year, while installed output rose by around a fifth. This does not include numerous smaller systems such as balcony power plants.

According to calculations by the International Energy Agency, renewable energies will replace coal as the world's most important source of energy for electricity generation as early as next year. In 2025, a third of global electricity generation will come from green sources such as wind or solar, and the following year it is expected to be 37 per cent - in 2023, the share was still around 30 per cent. 

However, climate change is also progressing rapidly. A new temperature record was already set in 2023. According to the European climate service Copernicus, June was the warmest month globally since records began and the twelfth consecutive month in which temperatures were 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. "It is important to note that the electricity sector causes more CO₂ emissions than any other sector", warns Voigt. The energy transition must therefore be driven forward.

The German solar plants in the aream portfolio achieved a target value of 94 per cent last July. With slightly below-average irradiation values, curtailments of around 500 MWh led to a result that was slightly below expectations. The aream plants in Spain missed their target values by five percentage points. The plants in Italy also achieved 95 per cent of their targets. However, this was a stable performance considering the slightly below-average irradiation levels.

The German wind turbines in the aream portfolio experienced another month of low wind in July, with production falling short of expectations as a result. The target achievement rate was around 82 per cent, but for the first seven months of the current year it is still over 92 per cent.