In the week of June 15, solar photovoltaic generation increased across major European power markets, continuing a short-term recovery compared with the previous week. The German market recorded the strongest rise at +34%, followed closely by France with +33%, while Italy saw a more modest increase of +5.2%. Portugal and Spain also posted gains of +10% and +13%, respectively. France, Portugal, and Italy extended their growth trend for a second consecutive week, while Germany and Spain reversed the declines seen in the previous two weeks.
During the same week, several markets reached notable solar production milestones, with France and Portugal setting new all-time highs in photovoltaic output. France peaked at 183 GWh on June 15, while Portugal reached 34 GWh on June 19, marking record levels for both systems. Spain and Italy also recorded their strongest solar output for a June day, reaching 251 GWh and 161 GWh respectively on June 18, highlighting the continued expansion of solar penetration across southern Europe.
Looking ahead to the week of June 22, forecasts from AleaSoft Energy Forecasting suggest a further increase in solar generation in Germany and Italy, while Spain is expected to experience a decline in photovoltaic output. This divergence reflects changing weather patterns and the uneven nature of solar resource availability across the continent.
In contrast to solar, wind energy production declined sharply across most European markets during the third week of June. Portugal recorded the steepest drop at -62%, followed by France at -50%, with both markets extending their downward trend for a second consecutive week. Germany, Italy, and Spain also saw significant declines of -49%, -43%, and -33%, respectively, with Spain and Italy reversing previous upward trends and Germany ending a three-week growth streak.
Several markets also experienced historically low wind output for June, underscoring the volatility of wind conditions during the period. Spain recorded just 43 GWh on June 16, its lowest June wind production in three years, while Italy fell to 13 GWh on June 21, also a multi-year low. France registered 27 GWh on June 17, its weakest June output since 2021.
For the fourth week of June, forecasts indicate a partial recovery in wind generation across Portugal, France, Spain, and Italy, while Germany is expected to see continued weakness. This mixed outlook highlights the contrasting short-term dynamics between solar strength and wind variability in European power markets, AleaSoft reports.