Photovoltaic energy made another significant advance in Germany in 2024, as figures published by a professional association on Monday show that, for the first time in history, the total installed capacity for photovoltaic energy production exceeded the 100 gigawatt (GW) threshold, DPA reports.

The German Solar Industry Association reported that 17 GW of production capacity was installed last year, almost 10% more than in 2023. The association added that around 14% of Germany’s total electricity consumption was covered last year by photovoltaic systems, according to Agerpres.

The main source of photovoltaic energy production in 2024 was photovoltaic panels installed on the roofs of residential buildings, which had an output of around 38 GW.

However, the largest capacity increase was recorded for ground-mounted photovoltaic parks, which with 6.3 GW were responsible for more than a third of all new capacity installed in Germany in 2024, up 40% compared to 2023. Plug-in photovoltaic panels, also known as balcony plants, also continued to expand, their capacity doubling to almost 0.7 GW.

“With an increase of this magnitude in the next two years, we will be close to reaching the targets,” says Carsten Kornig, director of the German Solar Industry Association. “However, reaching the next turning points in the energy transition is not a certainty,” added Carsten Kornig.

The German government’s target is a photovoltaic power generation capacity of around 215 GW in 2030, more than double the current capacity.

To achieve this target, the next government in Berlin should eliminate the remaining barriers and obtain new investments, the German Solar Industry Association said.