Is a large-scale installation of wind and solar PV feasible?

Installing large-scale capacities of wind and solar PV has been shown to be a cost-effective strategy to achieve a carbon-neutral Europe 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and increase energy security 17. However, the large required installation rates for wind and solar have been questioned to be feasible 40, 41 or possible by social acceptance issues 42, 43, 44.

Which country generates the most electricity from solar photovoltaics?

In 2024, Germany was the country with the highest electricity generation from solar photovoltaics, amounting to more than 74 terawatt-hours. That is roughly one-fourth of the total generation in the European Union.

Should photovoltaic batteries be oriented to the south?

Appl. Sci. 11, 9954 (2021). Lahnaoui, A., Stenzel, P. & Linssen, J. Tilt angle and orientation impact on the techno-economic performance of photovoltaic battery systems. Energy Procedia 105, 4312–4320 (2017). Mubarak, R., Weide Luiz, E. & Seckmeyer, G. Why PV modules should preferably no longer be oriented to the south in the near future.

What is the optimum battery to Vres capacity ratio?

The important message of Fig. 6 is that a European optimum exists at around 5 % BESS capacity, where this share represents the battery to vRES capacity ratio. The medium scenario in this case means roughly 15 % higher PV deployment than the present RePower target for the EU.

Is battery energy storage a solution to Europe's energy crisis?

Europe is at the forefront of decarbonisation efforts, with already achieved results and ambitious goals for the coming decades, particularly in the power sector. However, the greening of the European electricity system also requires increasing flexibility . Battery energy storage systems (BESS) represent a crucial component of the solution.