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German Grid Operators Forecast 425 GW Solar PV By 2045

Source：taiyangnews

Key Takeaways

  • Germany’s cumulative installed solar PV capacity could rise from about 117 GW at the end of 2025 to around 425 GW by 2045, according to the country’s grid operators 
  • Onshore wind capacity is projected to triple to roughly 175 GW, while large-scale battery storage could expand from about 2 GW today to nearly 68 GW 
  • Distribution network operators stress that major grid upgrades and significant investment will be needed to handle rapid growth in renewables, storage, electromobility, and new electricity consumers such as data centers 

Germany’s electricity distribution network operators expect the country’s installed solar PV capacity to rise sharply by 2045, the year by which Germany aims to achieve climate neutrality. Combined regional forecasts indicate that current PV capacity could quadruple to around 425 GW.  

This will be an increase over 117 GW installed cumulatively at the end of 2025, with the addition of 16.4 GW last year. Germany’s official solar PV deployment target for 2030 is 215 GW. 

Apart from solar PV, the expected growth in onshore wind is also impressive – tripling to approximately 175 GW by 2045. Large-scale battery storage will likely ramp up to around 68 GW from approximately 2 GW at present. Currently, less than 2 GW of PV capacity is connected to the distribution network for standalone data centers. The grid operators project it will reach almost 37 GW by the forecast year.

Recently, Germany’s solar industry body BSW-Solar shared that the installed energy storage system (ESS) capacity in the country has exceeded 25 GWh. 

These estimates appear in regional forecasts published by Germany’s electricity distribution network operators at the end of January 2026. Their combined projections point to the significant expansion across renewable energy technologies the country is likely to see over the next 20 years. 

Germany’s 82 largest distribution network operators usually create regional scenarios every 2 years to guide grid expansion plans. For the first time, according to Germany’s energy and water industry association Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e.V. (BDEW), smaller operators with fewer than 100,000 customers also took part in the exercise. 

It shows the expanse of growth for renewable energies in the country, for which the grid needs to be ready. 

“Distribution network operators are facing a Herculean task in light of the expansion of renewable energies, electromobility, and storage,” said Chair of the BDEW Executive Board Kerstin Andreae. “Everything must be done to improve the regulatory conditions for this Herculean task,” referring to the need for a “historic investment program” worth billions, including private capital.