Current Trends in the EU PV Market

PV Expansion Into Western Europe

As their home market matures, German energy performance certificate providers have swarmed into Spain in search of more ground-base system opportunities. In doing so, they seek to leverage their unique PV development experience as well as their ties with financing and investment partners.

After years of dominating the solar PV industry, Germany has been joined by Spain's scaling market. Spain, Europe's fastest growing PV market, was estimated to have installed 2.5 GW in 2008, and whose market is forecasted to grow to 6.8 GW by 2013 [European PV Industry Association – Global Market Outlook for PV Until 2013]. With long-term and relatively stable incentive regimes in place, total installed grid-connected PV capacity in Germany and Spain amounted to 4 GW in 2008, accounting for 89% of the 4.5 GW installed in Europe.

Together, eight countries, including Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, Belgium, Portugal and the Czech Republic, are expected to hold the lion's share of PV development activity over the coming years. The establishment of high feed-in tariffs in emerging markets, including the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and Switzerland, has set off a wave of PV development activity, with developers positioning for first-mover advantage in order to establish operations in these emerging PV markets.

Regional Distribution of New European PV Installations in 2008 (MW)

Source: European Photovoltaic Industry Association

Regional Distribution of Cumulative European PV – 2008 (MW)

Source: European Photovoltaic Industry Association