BSW calls for solar barriers to be ‘torn down’ if Germany’s 200GW by 2030 target is to be reached

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
An AgriPV research project from BayWay r.e. in Germany. Image: BayWay r.e.

Around 5.3GW of solar was installed in Germany last year, preliminary analysis by the country’s solar trade association the Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft (BSW) has shown, with installs set to rocket further in the coming years.

However the trade body has warned that additional barriers will need to be “torn down” if the new German coalition government’s target of 200GW of operational solar capacity by 2030 is to be met.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Preliminary analysis published by the BSW earlier this week has stated that solar installs in 2021 grew by around 10% year-on-year to 5.3GW, with solar PV now producing around 10% of domestic electricity demand in Germany.

The BSW’s figure corresponds with that given by SolarPower Europe in mid-December.

Residential and utility-scale solar grew strongly across the year, helping offset a decline in commercial rooftop installations. In 2020 commercial rooftops accounted for around 51% of the 4.8GW installed in Germany, equivalent to 2.45GW, however the bracket’s share fell to just 34% in 2021, or 1.8GW, the BSW said.

In adding 5.3GW of new solar last year, Germany’s cumulative operational solar capacity now stands at around 59GW. With Germany’s new Ampelkoalition, or traffic light coalition, a government which includes Germany’s Social Democratic, Free Democratic and Green parties, having set the country a target of total solar capacity of 200GW by the end of 2030, annual solar installations must quickly accelerate if it is to be hit.

The BSW has noted that an average of 15.6GW of solar will need to be installed each year from 2022 to 2030, a near-trebling of what was installed last year.

The trade body said its industry barometer, which is formed using feedback from more than 200 solar businesses and industry professionals, suggests that the government’s intent is giving the industry cause for confidence heading into 2022, however a backlog of industry reforms and red tape are denting investor confidence.

In response, the BSW is calling for “fast and courageous political action” from the coalition, specifically the implementation of its climate protection programme by Easter at the latest.

“This [200GW] goal can be achieved if the [solar industry] is ignited now and barriers to the energy transition are torn down,” Carsten Körnig, managing director at the BSW, said.

2 December 2025
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2026. PV ModuleTech Europe 2025 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

July 3, 2025
Spanish IPP Zelestra has secured a €235 million (US$277 million) increase to its sustainability-linked loan, bringing the total to €770 million.
Premium
July 3, 2025
Meeting the UK’s solar targets will not simply require the installation of new capacity, but investment in grid infrastructure and training.
July 2, 2025
Asset management firm Capital Dynamics has secured €110 million (US$129.4 million) in financing for three solar PV projects in Spain.
July 2, 2025
Investment manager Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has begun commercial operations at a 373MW solar PV plant in the UK.
July 1, 2025
Spanish independent power producer (IPP) Zelestra has secured financing and reached financial close for its 220MW solar-plus-storage plant in Chile.
July 1, 2025
French private equity firm Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund (ACEEF) has bought 117 solar PV plants, worth 116MW of total capacity in several locations in Italy.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK