The global growth of solar power generation shows no signs of slowing. Some of the established markets are seeing a fast deployment of photovoltaics (PV), while new, up-and-coming markets are adding to the boom. In 2024, the global milestone of two terawatts of installed PV capacity was achieved. The solar generation capacity installed in the last two years exceeded that of the previous 68 years combined. To keep the momentum going and continue on the path towards a climate-neutral energy world, the leading players and talents of the solar industry will be meeting at Intersolar Europe once again this year. The world’s leading exhibition for the solar industry will take place from May 7–9, 2025 as part of The smarter E Europe, Europe’s largest alliance of exhibitions for the energy industry, at Messe München. More than 3,000 exhibitors and over 110,000 visitors from all over the world are expected to attend in 2025.
Across Europe, solar energy will remain a key driver of the energy transition, according to the latest study by SolarPower Europe, the European industry association. In 2024, a new record was broken, when 65.5 GW of new PV capacity was installed. The total PV capacity expected by 2030 is 816 GW. This is a three-fold increase over 2024 (338 GW) within a mere six years. This development illustrates the vast potential for investments, innovation and a renewable 24/7 energy supply. To fully exploit this potential, we need the smart integration of solar energy into the energy system: The expansion of power grids, the flexibilization and digitalization of the infrastructure, and a considerable ramp-up of storage capacities are essential. At the same time, the electrification of transportation and heating must be accelerated. This will open up a multitude of opportunities to advance the energy transition and to shape a sustainable future.
Solar power is getting cheaper all the time. One essential factor is the price of photovoltaic modules. According to OPIS, the Dow Jones price information agency, the price for PV modules in Germany was between 6 and 13 euro cents per watt-peak (€ct/Wp), in China around 9 €ct/Wp, and in the United States between 27 and 28 €ct/Wp in November 2024. After many years of steady price decline, the share of module costs in the total PV system costs has dropped to below 30 percent – from around 75 percent in 2005. Inverters and BOS (balance of systems) components have also become markedly cheaper.
After many years of this market development and due to economies of scale, the solar energy production costs continue to decrease – as is confirmed by an analysis of Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. In 2024, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) in Germany for large-scale PV plants was around 4 to 7 euro cents per kilowatt hour, for large-scale PV plants with battery storage, between 6 and 11 euro cents per kilowatt hour. Generating electricity with conventional power plants is much more expensive, with coal- and gas-fired power plants incurring production costs of around 15 to almost 33 euro cents per kilowatt hour. Nuclear energy is even more expensive, which makes it uncompetitive – on top of all its other disadvantages. One kilowatt hour of nuclear power costs up to 49 euro cents.
Intersolar Europe is more than a showcase for the solar industry. It brings together all the industry’s pioneers and visionaries: manufacturers, supplier and distributors, installers, service providers, project developers, planners and start-ups. The comprehensive and varied accompanying program provides space, time and opportunity for visitors and exhibitors to have in-depth conversations with players, innovators and stakeholders from around the world. Intersolar Europe has always focused on the latest market developments and wider trends. This year’s key topics include hybrid power plants, commercial PV systems, modern applications such as agricultural, floating and building-integrated PV, as well as smart combinations of PV, storage system, electromobility, heat pumps and energy management. In conjunction with the concurrent The smarter E Europe exhibitions and conferences, it will provide up-to-date and comprehensive insights into the present and future of the fundamental transformation of the energy world.
Intersolar Europe, and the parallel events ees Europe, Power2Drive Europe and EM-Power Europe, will take place from May 7–9, 2025 as part of The smarter E Europe, Europe’s largest alliance of exhibitions for the energy industry, at Messe München.