Solar energy capacity sees significant global and Italian growth

Global renewable energy capacity increased by 692 GW in 2025, with solar power accounting for 511 GW of that growth. Solar energy is projected to dominate the energy landscape by 2030, with expected production exceeding 9,000 TWh. Key drivers for this expansion include rapid installation times, low maintenance requirements, and declining costs, with average global costs reaching approximately 40 €/MWh.

To address the challenges of intermittency and land use, the industry is turning to Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and floating photovoltaic (FPV) technology. Floating PV allows for solar panel installation on water surfaces, mitigating the need for large land areas required by traditional ground-mounted plants.

In Italy, the solar sector has reached significant maturity. By the end of 2025, there were over 2 million connected photovoltaic systems providing a total capacity of 43.5 GW. During 2025, solar power covered approximately 14% of Italy's national electricity demand, with small-scale systems up to 6 kWp representing 62% of all installed units.