Renewables
Germany adds 12.76 GW of solar capacity in first nine months of 2026
Germany recorded 12,762 MW of new photovoltaic capacity in the first three quarters of 2026, amid a shift toward larger installations and a sluggish rooftop market.
Key points
- Germany added 1,226 MW of new PV capacity in September 2026, according to the Federal Network Agency.
- Utility-scale solar additions fell sharply in September to 479 MW across 103 ground-mounted projects.
- Systems larger than 750 kW now account for approximately 57% of new solar capacity this year.
Market performance in September
Germany added 1,226 MW of new photovoltaic capacity in September, declining from 1,644 MW in August but exceeding the 920 MW recorded in September 2025, according to figures from the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) reported by pv magazine. The data includes a 15% adjustment for unregistered systems.
The figures indicate that a anticipated surge in rooftop installations ahead of proposed changes to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) has not yet occurred. The draft legislation plans to phase out feed-in tariffs for small photovoltaic systems by early 2027.
Shift toward large-scale projects
Utility-scale solar installations dropped significantly in September, with 103 ground-mounted projects totaling 479 MW commissioned, down from 1,054 MW in August. Plug-in solar systems also decreased to 42 MW from 61 MW in August.
German wholesaler EWS noted that while total capacity additions remain comparable to previous years, market dynamics are shifting. Systems larger than 750 kW represent roughly 57% of new capacity in 2026, while commercial and residential rooftop installations up to 10 kW have dropped by more than 40% since 2024.
Overall, Germany commissioned 660,445 systems totaling 12,762 MW between January and September 2026, compared to 12.56 GW during the same period in 2025.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Renewables are the fastest-growing part of the world’s energy system. The COP28 goal is to triple capacity by 2030, and solar mini-grids are the fastest route to power for millions of people without electricity.
39.8% of electricity in Germany was renewable in 2021Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
