- Solar power in Germany
Strong demand for solar cells from German farmers and homeowners resulted in another record year for the installation of solar
photovoltaic (PV) systems in the country, according to data from the Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft (the German Solar Association)::"Germany installed an astounding 100,000 solar systems in 2006, representing 750 MW of solar-electric generation [sic, potential] . This follows on the back-to-back record-setting years of 2005 (750 MW) and 2004 (600 MW)." [http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=47322 Feed Law Powers Germany to New Renewable Energy Record] ]
Germans invested nearly US$5 billion in new solar photovoltaic systems and in doing so employed nearly 35,000 in the solar industry. Germany now operates a solar-electric generating capacity of about 2,500 MW. Analysts estimate that solar cells in Germany now generate about 2 TWh of electricity per year, or about one-half of one percent of German electricity consumption.
The capacity factors are relatively low due to the low
insolation for most of Germany, about 80-90 W/m2, about the same as for England.ee also
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Photovoltaics
*Solar power
*Wind power in Germany References
External links
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/04/AR2007050402466.html Cloudy Germany a Powerhouse in Solar Energy, "Washington Post", 2007]
* [http://www.britischebotschaft.de/en/embassy/s&i/notes/rt-note06.5006(m)_pv.htm Southern Germany develops its PV Capacities]
* [http://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSL2389939520070730 Cloudy Germany unlikely hotspot for solar power]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7181866.stm Germany's sunny revolution]
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