The significant increase in solar energy production seems to play a decisive role in dealing with yet another energy crisis in Europe, facing the recent high temperatures. This despite the fact that the persistent heat zone has boosted the demand for electricity for air conditioners.
As has been apparent in previous weeks, solar energy is emerging as a suitable source to cope with the summer heat. This is because the sun’s radiation is more intense during the warmer part of the day, when the demand for electricity for cooling is also high.
“The significant increase in solar energy essentially offsets the peaks in demand for air conditioning,” commented Christian Ruby, general secretary of the Eurelectric power industry group, focusing mainly on the situation in Spain.
As Reuters points out, Spain and Greece are among the countries taking the initiative in installing solar panels, with the aim of addressing the high energy prices presented last year, and boosting energy security after the crisis with Russia in Ukraine.”
According to the Spanish power grid company Red Electrica, Spain added a historic installed power of 4.5 gigawatts to the solar photovoltaic energy sector last year, resulting in the increase in solar power production in July to historically high levels.
According to data from Ember, the share of solar energy in Spain’s total electricity reached almost 24% in July of this year, rising from 16% on July 2022.
Moreover, according to Refinitiv, in Italy, when high temperatures and increased demand for cooling led to an increase in electricity consumption in Sicily on 24 July, almost half of the excess demand – about 1.3 GW – was covered by solar energy. Solar power production in Sicily last month was about twice that of July 2022.
Reuters specifically highlights the situation in Greece, stressing that the power grid operator ADMEE noted the damage caused to parts of the grid due to the fires that hit the country.
However, increased solar energy production has helped to meet demand. According to ADMEE, during Greece’s peak power demand this year, also on July 24, photovoltaics covered 3.5 GW of the total demand of 10.35 GW.
Even in cooler and less sunny western countries like Belgium, solar energy has covered more than 100% of the extra energy required during the rise in energy demand during the southern season.
