In the week of May 4, solar photovoltaic (PV) generation increased across most of Western Europe, with particularly strong gains in the Iberian Peninsula and France. The Spanish market recorded the largest rise, up 10%, followed by Portugal with 8.8% growth and France with an increase of 5.9%. In contrast, both Germany and Italy experienced declines in solar output.
Germany saw the most pronounced drop, with production falling by 30%, fully reversing the upward trend observed in the previous two weeks. Italy also recorded a significant decrease of 18%, marking its second consecutive week of declining photovoltaic generation.
Despite regional disparities, both Spain and France reached record-breaking solar output levels for a May day during the week. On May 6, Spain achieved its highest-ever solar PV generation for that period, reaching 229 GWh, while France hit a new May record on May 8 with 160 GWh.
Looking ahead to the week of May 11, forecasts from AleaSoft Energy Forecasting suggest a recovery in solar production across Germany, Spain, and Italy, indicating a potential rebound after the previous week’s mixed performance.
In parallel, wind energy generation showed a contrasting regional pattern during the first week of May. Iberian markets posted gains, with Portugal leading sharply with a 171% increase, while Spain recorded a more moderate rise of 3.1%, marking its second consecutive week of growth.
However, northern European markets saw significant declines. Germany registered the steepest fall in wind output at 41%, followed by France with a 36% decrease, both extending a second week of downward momentum. Italy also continued its negative trend for a third consecutive week, albeit with a smaller decline of 2.0%.
For the second week of May, forecasts indicate a rebound in wind energy production across Germany, Italy, Spain, and France. In contrast, Portugal is expected to experience a decline in wind output, highlighting continued short-term volatility in European renewable generation patterns, AleaSoft reports.