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The European Union had a cumulative solar photovoltaic capacity of gigawatts as of 2024, increasing by roughly ** gigawatts in comparison with the previous year. Germany is the region’s leading country in terms of cumulative solar PV capacity, accounting for approximately ** percent of the EU's total solar PV capacity, with ** gigawatts installed as of 2024. That year, Germany also led in new installations, adding **** gigawatts of solar PV capacity, contributing significantly to the EU's total additions of **** gigawatts that year. That is roughly the same capacity added by the next two largest solar energy producers in the EU, Spain and Italy. 

EU’s solar manufacturing landscape 

The EU’s solar module manufacturing capacity has also increased in recent years, doubling from * gigawatts in 2022 to * gigawatts in 2023, highlighting the region's efforts to expand its renewable energy capabilities and reduce dependence on imported solar technology. Europe accounts for a very small share of the global solar module production, which is concentrated in China and other Asian countries. In 2023, China accounted for almost ** percent of the solar module production worldwide. 

Employment in the EU’s solar industry 

In 2023, there were roughly ** full-time equivalent jobs across the EU’s solar value chain. The deployment segment stands out as the primary driver of employment in the region’s solar market, accounting for approximately ** percent of all jobs. With more than ** full-time employees, this segment far outpaces other areas such as manufacturing, which employed roughly * people in 2023. Germany and Poland were the countries with the highest solar employment in the EU in that year.