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Energy

Solar energy

Reducing the EU’s dependence on fossil fuels, solar energy plays a key role in both the clean energy transition and the REPowerEU plan.

Solar energy technologies convert sunlight into energy, either as electricity (photovoltaics and concentrated solar power) or in the form of solar heat.

Solar is the fastest growing energy source in the EU. Solar energy is cheap, clean and flexible. The cost of solar power decreased by 82% between 2010-2020, making it the most competitive source of electricity in many parts of the EU.

Key facts on solar capacity

164.19 GW
2021
204.09 GW
2022
259.99 GW
2023

The EU solar generation capacity keeps increasing and reached, according to SolarPower Europe, an estimated 259.99 GW in 2023.

The EU has long been a front-runner in the roll-out of solar energy. Under the European Green Deal and the REPowerEU plan, solar power is a building block of the EU’s transition to cleaner energy. Its accelerated deployment contributes to reducing the EU’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. In addition, solar energy is the most accessible renewable energy for households and contributes to protecting consumers from volatile energy prices.

EU solar energy strategy

Alongside the plan, the Commission also presented a set of initiatives on permitting processes for renewable energy projects, which are reflected in the revised Renewable Energy Directive (EU/2023/2413). These new legal provisions will contribute to accelerating solar energy deployment in the EU.

The EU solar energy strategy launched 3 initiatives

European Solar Charter

Photovoltaics

Photovoltaics is a method of generating electric power by using solar cells to convert energy from the sun into electricity. These cells are assembled into solar panels and then installed on the ground, rooftops or floating on dams or lakes. The EU funds many solar cell projects, such as the PERTPV project, in which perovskite-based materials were used to build a new type of solar cell.

Photovoltaic technology is becoming more widely used worldwide. Year after year, photovoltaics make up a bigger share of the EU’s energy mix. In 2021, the EU output of photovoltaic electricity accounted for 5.5% of the EU’s gross electricity output.

Continued growth in the solar energy sector is expected in the coming decades, driven by both large-scale installations and increased self-consumption based on rooftop photovoltaic installations. Solar contributes to reducing the price of electricity, putting the EU at a competitive advantage and helping to drive economic growth and create jobs.

As part of the EU’s Net-Zero Industry Act to boost the manufacturing of net-zero technologies in Europe, the European Solar Academy was launched in June 2024. Its purpose is to develop learning content and programmes together with the industry, to ensure sufficient skills and workforce in the value chain and aiming to train 100 000 workers over 3 years. 

Concentrated solar power

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants use mirrors to concentrate sunlight and produce heat and steam to generate electricity. They can be coupled to heat storage technologies to produce electricity both day and night. About 2.3 GW of concentrated solar power has been installed in the EU since 2013, but most new projects take place outside of the EU.

Solar thermal technologies

Solar thermal technologies are used mainly to produce domestic hot water in residential buildings and industry through heat collectors. Concentrated solar heat technologies can also be used to provide heat for industrial applications and district heating. The main advantage of solar thermal is that it is cheap, predictable and does not rely on any fuel.

Solar thermal technologies can be deployed in most European regions and are a particularly good option in Europe’s eastern and south-eastern countries, where solar thermal heat is often the cheapest option to replace fossil-fuel heating.