Germany's Solar Power Hits Record 12 TWh in July 2026

In July 2026 Germany’s photovoltaic (PV) systems fed a historic 12 billion kWh (12 TWh) of solar electricity into the public grid, the first month ever to reach that level. The Internationales Wirtschaftsforum Regenerative Energien (IWR) reported that average midday solar output exceeded 40 GW, enough to replace the generation of more than 40 nuclear plants and to displace a significant share of coal‑ and gas‑fired power.

The record follows a broader trend: renewable sources supplied 60 % of Germany’s electricity in the first half of 2026, with solar alone providing over 30 % of generation in May, June and July. Combined with wind, more than half of the country’s power came from these two sources during that period. Across the EU, solar accounted for 23 % of electricity in May 2026, second only to nuclear.

The IWR attributed the surge to two decades of investments by homeowners, farmers, businesses and SMEs, and highlighted the role of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), which compensates the difference between market prices and feed‑in tariffs. Dr Norbert Allnoch, CEO of the IWR, said the milestone shows solar has become a central pillar of Germany’s power system and calls for an objective discussion of subsidy mechanisms.