Europe reaches 100GW installed solar - IHS

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Credit: IHS

Europe has surpassed 100GW of installed grid-connected solar PV capacity, according to new data from research firm IHS.

The continent has risen from 3GW PV capacity in 2005 to 100GW in the second quarter of 2016, mainly as a result of an 80% reduction in costs and a host of supportive regulatory frameworks brought in by countries looking to meet the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive, according to IHS.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

However, Josefin Berg, senior analyst for IHS Technology, warned that with an “increasingly regulated environment”, the European solar industry will face new challenges in installing the next 100GW.

James Watson, chief executive of SolarPower Europe, added that with many of the feed-in tariff (FiT) subsidies coming to an end across the continent, there is a need for a suitable electricity market design and long-term investments signals for solar to progress.

He said: “We hope that the European Commission’s forthcoming market design reform and Renewable Energy Directive will pave the way for the 200GW benchmark.

“Europe was once the cradle of solar energy, now the rest of the world is catching up.”

Oliver Schäfer, president of SolarPower Europe, said: “Just a few years ago solar was considered to be a niche alternative technology, but it is now a major element of our energy system. In fact solar power is one of the most competitive forms of energy generation in Europe today.”

SolarPower Europe is holding a celebration event for the 100GW milestone in Brussels in September.

This article was revised to include extra figures from IHS.

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

October 7, 2025
Econergy will acquire 100% stake in the 155MW Ratesti solar project in Romania, further expanding its European renewable energy portfolio.
October 7, 2025
Solar PV will account for almost 80% of the 4.6TW of new renewable power expected to be added by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
October 6, 2025
German solar inverter manufacturer SMA Solar will cut 350 jobs in 2026 as it adapts to the “weak” residential PV market.
October 6, 2025
An expert panel has identified a series of grid failures that led to April's unprecedented power outage in Spain and Portugal, ruling out renewables as the leading cause.
October 2, 2025
Spanish waste management company Trabede and energy firm Greening Group will build a solar module recycling plant in Granada, Andalusia, Spain.
October 2, 2025
The European solar sector will lose around 5% of its jobs in 2025, the first contraction in employment for the sector in nearly a decade.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK