Germany installed roughly 320 megawatts (MWp) of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation capacity in August 2012, according to initial reports.

This addition has bumped Germany past 30 gigawatts (GWp), the first country in the world to reach this level of PV capacity, Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI, Berlin, Germany) reports in a press release. Total German solar PV installations make up more than the rest of Europe combined.

Germany is the global frontrunner in solar power

Germany Trade & Invest industry experts are sharing the latest trends at this week’s EUPVSEC from September 24^th - 28^th, 2012 in Frankfurt.

“Positive market developments and ongoing changes in the industry underscore Germany’s position as the global frontrunner in solar power,” stated Tobias Rothacher, photovoltaic industry expert at Germany Trade & Invest in Berlin.

Most recently, Solarion AG (Zwenkau near Leipzig, Germany) opened its first flexible thin film solar cell production plant in the former East German state of Saxony. The company aims to target the commercial rooftop market for on-site consumption.

Strongest growth expected for self-consumption of solar power

As the PV industry matures, the market segment of homes and businesses that consume the energy they generate is expected to see the strongest growth. Leasing, power trading and plant management are up-and-coming service sector fields that are driven by the commercial rooftop market, GTAI emphasizes.

GTAI offers a full report on Germany’s photovoltaic market for free download at www.gtai.com/pv-industry-overview

2012-09-24 | Courtesy: German Trade & Invest | solarserver.com © Heindl Server GmbH

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