Latest figures released by the German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) show that Germany added 1.41 gigawatts (GW) of new solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in March 2026, bringing total first-quarter installations to 3.28 GW. While the monthly deployment rate rebounded noticeably from the first two months of the year, it remained below the average monthly capacity required to meet Germany’s 2030 climate targets.
Germany saw a significant increase in new photovoltaic installations in March 2026, with ground-mounted PV plants being the main source of incremental capacity.(Source: Bundesnetzagentur)
In March, ground-mounted PV systems accounted for 743.9 megawatts (MW) of new capacity, rooftop solar installations totalled 445.3 MW, and balcony PV – plug-and-play solar units – contributed 51.3 MW. Month-on-month, all segments saw strong growth compared to February, indicating a rapid market recovery from the slow start at the beginning of the year.
Despite the solid March performance, Germany faces significant pressure to meet its renewable energy goals. Under the country’s target to reach 215 GW of cumulative solar PV capacity by 2030, installations need to average around 1.65 GW per month. As of the end of March 2026, Germany’s total installed solar PV capacity stood at 121 GW. For comparison, the 3.28 GW added in the first quarter of 2026 was lower than the more than 4 GW installed in the same period of 2025.
Alongside rising installations, German solar power generation has reached record levels. According to energy forecasting firm Aleasoft, German solar output surged 32% in the week ending 6 April, boosted by strong sunshine, and set a new April daily generation record of 426 gigawatt-hours (GWh) on 8 April. Meanwhile, the French market also saw strong performance, with solar generation rising 18% and hitting a daily high of 136 GWh on 9 April.
In other renewable energy sectors, Germany added 392 MW of new onshore wind capacity and 182 MW of offshore wind capacity in the period. This brings Germany’s cumulative onshore wind capacity to 69.9 GW and offshore wind capacity to 10.2 GW.
Magyar
