A month of momentum for solar and storage

At Intersolar, I saw the strength and drive of our sector on full display. SolarPower Europe launched the Global Market Outlook for Solar Power 2026-2030, confirming another record year for solar. In 2025, the world installed 664 GW of new solar capacity, bringing the global solar fleet beyond the 3 TW milestone. Solar continued to outperform all other energy technologies, proving that the solar age had firmly arrived.

The figures also told a more urgent story. Growth slowed in 2025, and a temporary dip is expected in 2026, making clear that the next phase is not only about deploying more panels. It is about integrating clean electricity into Europe’s energy system faster and more effectively. Grid congestion, curtailment, slow permitting, and negative price signals have become real barriers to progress. Investment in grids, battery storage, and non-fossil flexibility are now a policy priority to support urgent delivery.

This message was reinforced by our European Battery Market Outlook 2026-2030. Europe added 36 GWh of new battery storage in 2025, the twelfth consecutive year of growth. Total installed capacity passed 100 GWh for the first time, while the market grew by a record 48% year on year. With utility-scale storage accounting for more than half of new installations, Europe’s battery market has clearly entered a new phase of maturity. 

Annual installations are expected to rise to 138 GWh by 2030, representing a fourfold increase compared to 2025 levels. While this growth confirms the momentum is strong, it still falls short of the tenfold increase in batteries needed by 2030 in an ideal scenario. The EU’s 200 GW battery storage target for 2030 gives Europe the right direction of travel. Now, the task is to match that ambition with speed, market design, and policy frameworks that could unlock investment. Through the Battery Storage Europe Platform and our #10XBatteryStorage campaign, we continue to support the industry.

The month also brought important political progress. At the Energy Council, EU Energy Ministers agreed their position on the EU Grids Package, aiming to modernise Europe’s networks, accelerate electrification, and strengthen energy security. The agreement aims to improve planning, interconnections, and permitting, although important gaps remain on digital permitting, clear connection timelines, transparency for developers, and non-fossil flexibility.

In parallel, I was proud to sign the first-ever tripartite agreement on energy storage, alongside EU and national representatives, the storage and renewables industry, and energy consumers. It sent an important signal: storage is central to Europe’s competitiveness, affordability, and security. It also underlines that grids, storage, electrification, and renewables targets must move together if Europe wants to reduce reliance on volatile fossil fuels and build a cleaner, more resilient power system.

Beyond the reports and policy milestones, this month was also about people. At Intersolar, our team joined more than ten speaking sessions, hosted our Market Intelligence Breakfast, took part in our annual manufacturing industry tour, welcomed members at our networking lunch, and celebrated with colleagues and partners at our booth party. Each exchange showed the same thing: our sector is determined, innovative, and ready to deliver.

Together with 99 partners, we celebrated European Solar Day on 21 June, the longest and brightest day of the year.  "Solar is unstoppable. It keeps breaking records. In April this year, solar, together with wind, for the first time, generated more electricity than gas worldwide” said Energy and Housing Commissioner Dan Jorgensen in a special video message to mark Solar Day.

 This year European Solar Day was centered around Solar Stories, we highlighted the human side of the energy transition: the households, communities, businesses, and regions already benefiting from solar.

Looking back, this was a month of evidence, momentum, and renewed responsibility. The evidence shows that solar and storage are growing at remarkable speed. The momentum shows that industry, policymakers, and consumers are increasingly aligned. The responsibility is clear: Europe must remove the remaining barriers and build the grids, storage capacity, and flexible power system needed for the next stage of the transition.

Together, we continue to lead that transition, and this month gave us every reason to keep pushing forward.