Yet again the PV power sector was the leading electricity generating capacity installer in the European Union, as 21529 MWp went on grid from photovoltaic power plants during 2011, bringing the European Union's capacity to date to 51357 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.

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

Besides the 2011 realisations per EU Member State other subjects that are discussed in the new barometer are:

+ Renewable energy policies

+ Industry overview

+ Comparison with National Renewable Energy Action Plans

For additional information on renewable energy issues (data referring to 2010, among others EU Member State renewable energy employment, turnover and realisations) see also the annual EurObserv'ER publication 'The State of Renewable Energies in Europe', 2011 edition: (January 2012, PDF, English/French language, 248 pages, 12.7 MB).