Germany Sets a New Solar Power Record – 14.7 Terawatt-Hours in 6 months

Germany has set yet another impressive record for solar power consumption! As solar power usage in Germany has  increased by 50% since last year, the country’s solar resources have pulled in a  phenomenal 14.7 terawatt-hours in the first six months of 2012 alone, which  amounts to 4.5 % of Germany’s power needs.

In 2011, Germany’s photovoltaic power reached just 19 Twh for the entire year,  5 Twh shy of productions during the first six months of 2012. The ambitious  spike in solar power consumption is thanks to a boom in solar systems being  installed across the country, with more being constructed each day.

In just four months, the Germans have installed an additional 73,756 solar power  systems across the German countryside, with more sprouting up each week.  Combined, the new systems have an output of 2,328 megawatts. German homes and businesses already are responsible for 1.2 million  working photovoltaic plants, which have been installed over the past few years  with no incentives other than clean energy.

In 2012, Germany will have reached a total of 28 GW of solar power capacity, which far exceeds other countries of  its size. With Germany’s lead, solar energy will reign in as the third largest  source of renewable energy, and possibly push past wind power and biogas should  other countries take lead and follow suit.

 Source: Clean Technica