Yet again the PV power sector was the leading electricity generating capacity installer in the European Union, as 21,529 MWp went on grid from photovoltaic power plants during 2011, bringing the European Union’s capacity to date to 51,357 MWp. This figure is higher than the one of the new EU wind power plants, which stood at 9368 MW.

The European Union accounts for 74% of all newly connected PV capacity, the total installed photovoltaic capacity worldwide at the end of 2011 being 69 GWp.

The cumulative EU solar PV electricity production doubled compared to last year (44.8 TWh in 2011 and 22.6 TWh in 2010).

Despite the implementation of increasingly complex incentive systems that are intended to take market dynamics into account, the soaring growth of the photovoltaic market again caught the public authorities off guard. Not a single government had counted on the continuing and accelerating downward slide in the price of photovoltaic modules. The drop completely outpaced the feed-in tariffs and led to a new rush on installations as investors tried to make the most of the differential between feed-in tariffs and the real cost of the photovoltaic kWh. Speculation in Germany was finally stopped in its tracks when installers ran out of stock in December.

Key data for the 27 European Member States:

- Cumulative solar PV power capacity at the end of 2011: 51.4 GWp (29.8 GWp end of 2010)

- Installed PV capacity during the year 2011: 21.5 GWp (13.7 GWp during 2010)

- Cumulative solar PV electricity production: 44.8 TWh in 2011 (22.6 TWh in 2010)

Country highlights:

-The Italian market overheats again.

-Germany to control its market

-More than 100% growth in France

-The Flemish region at the helm of the Belgian market

-Subsidies halved in the United Kingdom

-Moratorium in Spain

Source: 2012 EurObserv’ER Photovoltaic Barometer (www.eurobserv-er.org/pdf/baro208.asp)