Clean Energy Wire / Bloomberg

The number of solar panel systems in Germany hit three million on Monday (29 May), with total solar PV installed capacity reaching more than 70 gigawatts (GW), according to industry association BSW Solar. With this capacity, the country can cover over 10 percent of its electricity demand with solar PV panels. On Saturday (27 May), solar output also reached a record high of 40,919 megawatts (MW), according to data from the European Energy Exchange AG, Bloomberg reported. "Under the impact of the energy crisis and as a result of improved framework conditions, the demand for solar technology has risen sharply," BSW executive director Carsten Körnig said. "Solar energy is booming, especially among private households." The number of solar panels commissioned on private homes this quarter more than doubled compared to the same period last year, according to the association.

In a bid to improve the roll-out of solar power in the coming years, the government recently tabled a strategy aimed at simplifying regulation, unlocking new locations, and incentivising investments in the technology. Germany aims to cover 80 percent of its electricity demand from renewable sources by 2030, and photovoltaics are expected to make an important contribution. By the end of the decade, total solar PV capacity is planned to be 215 GW, from about 63 GW in 2022, with the solar share in the country's power mix reaching 30 percent.