European markets set records for solar power generation in April

By Georgi Velev

Several major European markets broke their records for solar power generation in a single day in April last week. According to the consultancy, the Portuguese market registered 22 GWh on April 22, and a day later the Spanish market reached 197 GWh. On April 28, the German market reached 397 GWh. This is according to data from AleaSoft Energy Forecasting

Last week, the Italian market also recorded its second highest value in history, when it reached 144 GWh on April 22, second only to its record set two weeks earlier.

The data on the record solar production comes a few days after the collapse of the energy system in Spain and Portugal. However, initial statements from local authorities reject the idea that the grid collapse was caused by renewable energy plants. A report on the subject will be available in three months at the earliest.

Despite the strong results in the field of solar energy in some countries, AleaSoft found that the average weekly price of electricity increased in most of the analyzed markets in the fourth week of April.

Average weekly price increases were recorded in the Belgian, British, Dutch, French, German, Scandinavian, Portuguese and Spanish markets. Only the Italian market bucked this trend, PV magazine reported.

For the second week in a row, the Portuguese and Spanish markets had the lowest average prices, at €36.20 ($41.02)/MWh and €37.63/MWh, respectively. The UK market overtook the Italian market to reach the highest average of €93.48/MWh.

Continuing the trend from last week, AleaSoft found that most of the markets analyzed recorded negative hourly electricity prices.

Portugal and Spain reached their lowest minimum hourly prices in history on April 27, with the Portuguese market reaching -5.00 EUR/MWh between 11:00 and 15:00, and the Spanish market registering -6.01 EUR/MWh from 15:00 to 16:00.

On the same day, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Belgian market reached the lowest hourly price of the week across all markets - €266.00/MWh, the lowest price on this market since June 2019.

According to AleaSoft, the decline in wind power production led to higher weekly prices in most markets last week. In the first week of May, the company predicts that prices will decrease in most of the analyzed markets under the influence of the decline in electricity demand and the increase in wind power production.

At the same time, analysts predict that solar power production will increase in Germany this week, but decrease in Italy and Spain.

US household solar and storage prices reach historic lows in 2024

After a year of declines, residential solar and storage prices have hit new all-time lows, even as panels continue to increase in capacity, according to EnergySage’s 20th annual Intel: Solar & Storage Marketplace Report, released today and cited by Solar power world.

The six-month report analyzes millions of transaction-level data points from homeowners who shopped on EnergySage.com from January to December 2024 for solar panels, inverters, batteries and more from solar companies in all 50 states in the U.S.

The EnergySage report reflects trends shaping consumer behavior, installer offerings and equipment preferences, while also providing early indicators of how tariffs, interest rates and the Tesla brand’s response could impact the market in the coming months.

Solar prices fall again for the US market

Solar prices have fallen for the third straight six-month period, hitting $2.50 per watt, the lowest average price since EnergySage began tracking the data in 2014. Quoted storage prices also fell, hitting a new record low of $999 per kilowatt-hour stored.

“As we head into 2025, solar and battery prices have never been lower in the EnergySage market, and for homeowners, that means more affordable and accessible clean energy solutions,” said Emily Walker, director of content and insights at the company. “This sets a new low benchmark to compare against as we begin to see the impact of changing policies and tariffs this year.”

Tesla’s Powerwall 3 dominates the US storage and solar market

In the second half of 2024, Tesla became the most-quoted battery brand, with 63% of the market share in the country. Since the Powerwall 3 includes a built-in inverter, Tesla also became the second-most-quoted inverter brand. As batteries are increasingly being added to solar systems, the national battery connection rate jumped to 45% in the second half of 2024, a record high. And Tesla’s growth was a key factor in the low prices of storage and solar products observed in EnergySage.

“Tesla’s growing dominance in storage and inverter quotes reflects the market’s appetite for integrated, end-to-end solutions,” said Charlie Hadlow, president and COO of EnergySage. “But as concerns about availability and brand sentiment emerge, we’re watching closely to see if this momentum holds or if consumer reaction begins to shift installer and homeowner preferences.”

Solar panel ratings continue to grow

Solar panels continue to increase in power output thanks to larger sizes and higher efficiencies. In the second half of 2024, 33% of listings included solar panels rated at more than 450W, up from just 1% in the second half of 2023. The company also tracked tariff-related solar panel hoarding to see if it hinders U.S. solar growth in 2025.

“As panel technology improves, more homeowners are being offered higher-wattage systems—which means fewer panels, more energy, and a better return on investment,” Walker said. “We are closely monitoring how inventory strategies and upcoming tariffs could shape this trend.”

For a decade, the Solar and Energy Storage Market Report has provided unparalleled insight into the pricing, equipment and consumer preferences trends shaping today’s U.S. solar, energy storage and home electrification industries.

“The data in this report tells a broader story about the industry’s evolution,” Hadlow said. “From the growth in the number of energy storage users to the shift to more efficient equipment and lower costs, we are seeing homeowners taking greater control over their energy choices,” they explained.