In 2024, Europe witnessed a dramatic slowdown in solar panel installations, with growth plummeting by 92% compared to the previous year. The European Union’s solar market expanded by only 4%, starkly contrasting the 53% surge in 2023. The Netherlands also experienced a notable downturn, adding just 3 GW of solar capacity, down from nearly 5 GW in 2023. This almost 70% drop in the residential market reflects broader challenges within the EU, including a 13% decline in annual solar investments to €55 billion. Umbrella organization Solar Power Europe presented these figures in its latest market outlook.
‘A yellow card for policymakers’
Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO at SolarPower Europe, said, “European policymakers and system operators can consider this year’s report a yellow card. Slowing solar deployment means slowing the continent’s energy security, competitiveness, and climate goals. Europe needs to install around 70 GW…
