The global growth of solar power generation shows no signs of slowing. Some of the established markets are seeing a fast deployment of photovoltaics (PV), while new, up-and-coming markets are adding to the boom. In 2024, the global milestone of two terawatts of installed PV capacity was achieved. The solar generation capacity installed in the last two years exceeded that of the previous 68 years combined. To keep the momentum going and continue on the path towards a climate-neutral energy world, the leading players and talents of the solar industry will be meeting at Intersolar Europe once again this year. The world’s leading exhibition for the solar industry will take place from May 7–9, 2025 as part of The smarter E Europe, Europe’s largest alliance of exhibitions for the energy industry, at Messe München. More than 3,000 exhibitors and over 110,000 visitors from all over the world are expected to attend in 2025.

Across Europe, solar energy will remain a key driver of the energy transition, according to the latest study by SolarPower Europe, the European industry association. In 2024, a new record was broken, when 65.5 GW of new PV capacity was installed. The total PV capacity expected by 2030 is 816 GW. This is a three-fold increase over 2024 (338 GW) within a mere six years. This development illustrates the vast potential for investments, innovation and a renewable 24/7 energy supply. To fully exploit this potential, we need the smart integration of solar energy into the energy system: The expansion of power grids, the flexibilization and digitalization of the infrastructure, and a considerable ramp-up of storage capacities are essential. At the same time, the electrification of transportation and heating must be accelerated. This will open up a multitude of opportunities to advance the energy transition and to shape a sustainable future.

Declining PV costs will continue to enhance competitiveness

Solar power is getting cheaper all the time. One essential factor is the price of photovoltaic modules. According to OPIS, the Dow Jones price information agency, the price for PV modules in Germany was between 6 and 13 euro cents per watt-peak (€ct/Wp), in China around 9 €ct/Wp, and in the United States between 27 and 28 €ct/Wp in November 2024. After many years of steady price decline, the share of module costs in the total PV system costs has dropped to below 30 percent – from around 75 percent in 2005. Inverters and BOS (balance of systems) components have also become markedly cheaper. 

After many years of this market development and due to economies of scale, the solar energy production costs continue to decrease – as is confirmed by an analysis of Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE. In 2024, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) in Germany for large-scale PV plants was around 4 to 7 euro cents per kilowatt hour, for large-scale PV plants with battery storage, between 6 and 11 euro cents per kilowatt hour. Generating electricity with conventional power plants is much more expensive, with coal- and gas-fired power plants incurring production costs of around 15 to almost 33 euro cents per kilowatt hour. Nuclear energy is even more expensive, which makes it uncompetitive – on top of all its other disadvantages. One kilowatt hour of nuclear power costs up to 49 euro cents.

Intersolar Europe – Strategists, innovators and pioneers meet in Munich

Intersolar Europe is more than a showcase for the solar industry. It brings together all the industry’s pioneers and visionaries: manufacturers, supplier and distributors, installers, service providers, project developers, planners and start-ups. The comprehensive and varied accompanying program provides space, time and opportunity for visitors and exhibitors to have in-depth conversations with players, innovators and stakeholders from around the world. Intersolar Europe has always focused on the latest market developments and wider trends. This year’s key topics include hybrid power plants, commercial PV systems, modern applications such as agricultural, floating and building-integrated PV, as well as smart combinations of PV, storage system, electromobility, heat pumps and energy management. In conjunction with the concurrent The smarter E Europe exhibitions and conferences, it will provide up-to-date and comprehensive insights into the present and future of the fundamental transformation of the energy world.

Intersolar Europe, and the parallel events ees Europe, Power2Drive Europe and EM-Power Europe, will take place from May 7–9, 2025 as part of The smarter E Europe, Europe’s largest alliance of exhibitions for the energy industry, at Messe München.

For more information, please visit:
www.intersolar.de
www.TheSmarterE.de

Intersolar Europe

As the world’s leading exhibition for the solar industry, Intersolar Europe demonstrates the enormous vitality of the solar market. For more than 30 years, it has been providing a networking opportunity for the key players – from manufacturers, suppliers and distributors to installers, service providers, project developers, planners and start-ups – all under the motto “Connecting Solar Business”. It focuses on the latest trends, developments and business models.

Intersolar Europe will take place from May 7–9, 2025 as part of the innovation hub The smarter E Europe, Europe’s largest alliance of exhibitions for the energy industry, at Messe München. Whether electricity, heat and transport – the following three exhibitions dedicated to renewable 24/7 energy supply will take place alongside Intersolar Europe:

• ees Europe – The continent’s largest and most international exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems
• Power2Drive Europe – The international exhibition for charging infrastructure and e-mobility
• EM-Power Europe – The international exhibition for energy management and integrated energy solutions

The Intersolar Europe Conference, where renowned experts showcase groundbreaking innovations, is also taking place at the same time. To cover all aspects of a future-oriented energy world, it is accompanied by three other specialist conferences.

With Intersolar India in Gandhinagar, India, Intersolar South America in São Paulo, Brazil, and Intersolar Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico, this global exhibition series is represented across four continents. 

Intersolar Europe is organized by Solar Promotion GmbH and Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe GmbH & Co. KG (FWTM).

Further information on Intersolar Europe can be found at: www.intersolar.de/en.