Germany's PV additions in August – at first glance – declining

The new capacity of photovoltaic plants registered by the German Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) in August amounts to 1.056 gigawatts (GW) net, i.e. minus the (few) plants shut down in the same period. Although this is 54.8 percent more than in the same month last year (682 MW), it is 19.8 percent less than in July (1.317 GW). At second glance, however, the current figures also show an upward trend: As usual, the figures for previous months have been corrected due to subsequent notifications and corrections and now total 8.992 GW for the year to date. Extrapolated for the year as a whole, this would amount to 13.488 GW. A month ago, this forecast was still 13.188 GW.
To reach the country’s target of 215 GW cumulated PV capacity in 2030, current additions nevertheless are too slow, and would have to amount to 1.574 GW per month. However, the German government expects the monthly figures to increase significantly in the future, and according to this plan, the current cumulative capacity of 76.482 GW is even above the target.
Of the new capacity registered in August, 932.1 MW (88.1 percent) got support from the Renewable Energy Law (EEG), of which 236.2 MW (22.3 percent of the total new capacity) was built as part of tenders.
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