German solar output at record high

German solar PV plants have already generated more electricity in 2020 than in any previous year, supported by an increase in capacity.

Solar output has totalled 48.46TWh so far this year, up from 47.5TWh in all 2019. And solar's share of the generation mix was 12.3pc, data from German institute Fraunhofer ISE show, also a record high.

Assuming average solar output for the next two months, German solar generation could total around 50TWh in 2020, up by 2.5TWh on 2019, when it had risen by 1.7TWh from 2018.

Germany added 2.84GW of solar PV capacity in January-August, up from the 2.16GW added during the same period last year. German solar PV capacity stood at 52.39GW at the end of August, according to regulator Bnetza.

Lobby group BSW expects this year's solar PV additions to be up by around a fifth on 2019.

Earlier this year, the lower house of parliament and federal council approved the removal of the 52GW subsidy cap on small-scale solar PV, after calls to support expansion. But BSW warns that the current draft for an amendment to the renewable energy act (EEG) will slow solar's expansion. "Unless there are significant improvements to the draft law in the Bundestag in November, the expansion of solar roofs will decline sharply in the coming year," it said.

The renewables sector has already warned of a threat to solar expansion from zoning restrictions.

Renewables' share of German power output could reach 50pc by the end of the year.

By Jacqueline Echevarria