According to SolarPower Europe’s mid-year market update, the solar market in the European Union grew only slightly in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier. Solar met 25 percent of EU electricity generation in June, becoming the month’s largest source of electricity.
In its “EU Solar Market Update 2026 – Mid-Year Analysis” report published on 8 September 2026, SolarPower Europe, the umbrella body of the European solar sector, said that despite first-half growth a slight decline compared with 2025 is expected for the full year.
Solar cuts the gas bill by EUR 1 billion a week
According to the report, solar plants in the EU have generated 282 TWh of electricity since 1 March 2026. This output avoided more than EUR 30 billion of natural gas imports, or around EUR 1 billion a week. For the second year running, solar met more than 20 percent of EU electricity in May, June and July.
Policy support is weakening
SolarPower Europe stressed that external factors such as fossil fuel crises and extreme weather events support solar investment, but that structural problems persist. The report highlights weakening policy support in key markets: France is cutting rooftop solar incentives, while Germany is debating support reductions for 2027.
Other risks highlighted in the report include:
- curtailment and negative-price hours caused by grid bottlenecks and integration problems
- regulatory uncertainty that delays investment decisions
- insufficient investment in storage, flexibility and grid infrastructure
SolarPower Europe CEO Walburga Hemetsberger said Europe should not need an energy crisis to see the value of solar and called on policymakers to focus on fundamentals such as grids, storage and flexibility. The organisation warned that without strong policy commitment and grid investment the EU will fall short of its 2030 solar targets.
Sources
- SolarPower Europe, “New report: Solar powers Europe through another energy crisis, but policy support falls short”, 8 September 2026. solarpowereurope.org
Image: SolarPower Europe
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