Germany reaches solar expansion targets amid shift to battery storage

Germany has reached its 2026 expansion target for photovoltaic (PV) installations, with more than 128 GWp installed as of mid-August. Despite this milestone, the sector faces challenges including declining solar electricity market values and increased grid-related curtailment, known as redispatch measures, which impact private solar park operators.

To address market integration and grid stability, companies are increasingly adopting co-location strategies that combine solar parks with battery storage. Consilium Project Finance GmbH has implemented this approach at the Polch solar park, successfully linking PV and battery storage into a single energy asset.

Other firms, such as Greenovative, are also utilizing co-location for arbitrage models—charging batteries when market prices are low and discharging when prices rise. This strategy aims to mitigate the impact of falling solar energy prices and the technical difficulties of integrating the additional 87 GW of solar capacity planned by 2030.