Germany’s solar power output surpasses last year’s total by September

Germany generated 90.2 terawatt-hours of solar electricity by the end of September, already surpassing its total for the whole of last year, according to the German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar). The industry group says the country is on course to produce more than 100 terawatt-hours this year, helped by expanded capacity and sunny weather.

The 2025 total was 10.7 terawatt-hours lower than this year’s output by September, the report said. Hamburg, Germany’s second-largest city, used 10.7 terawatt-hours of electricity last year, offering a rough comparison for the scale of the solar generation.

BSW-Solar chief executive Carsten Körnig called the record an important milestone for the energy transition. He said wider solar generation brought cheaper electricity, reduced energy imports and less climate damage. Germany produced 2.2 terawatt-hours of solar power over the whole year two decades ago, the report said.