This year, for the second time in a row, on 21st June, we celebrate the European Solar Day, the celebration of which was initiated by the organization SolarPower Europe, of which RES Serbia is a member. There are reasons to celebrate because the total global capacity of solar energy has reached 1.6 TW, and in 2023 alone, 56 GW of solar energy has been installed in Europe.
In our country, interest in solar energy is increasing – 3,199 prosumers with a total installed capacity of 55.2 MW have been registered in the Prosumer Register of Elektrodistribucija Serbia. Publicly available data show that more than 60 MW of solar power plants have been installed in Serbia, but we still do not have a single power plant connected to the transmission system.
The number of prosumers in Serbia is growing day by day
3,199 customers-producers of electricity with a total installed capacity of 55.2 MW are registered in the Register of Consumers of Elektrodistribucija Srbije. The leading number of households is 2,358 with a total installed capacity of 19.1 MW. There are the fewest residential communities, only three, with a total installed power of 69.5 kW.
The largest capacity has the prosumers who are classified in the other buyer-producer category. There are currently 838 of them with a total installed capacity of 36.1 MW. As a recent analysis by RES Serbia showed, this category includes telecommunications facilities, industrial facilities, as well as churches, schools and kindergartens.
Unlike the precise and transparent register of prosumers, there is no such register of connected solar power plants, and there is no record of how many solar power plants are connected to the electricity distribution system in trial operation, and how many have the final connection decision.
Also, in the register available on the website of Elektrodistribucija, the location of the power plant, the power, and the investor cannot be seen, which makes analysis and records difficult.
The register of privileged electricity producers of the Ministry of Mining and Energy accurately showed that the total power of solar power plants with a feed-in tariff is 23 MW, many of which have begun to exit incentive status.
From publicly available data, we obtained the information that the solar power plants DeLasol (9 MW), Lebane novo selo (8 MW) and Saraorci (9 MW), as well as several other smaller power plants, were put online for trial operation, and we got the information that more than 60 MW of solar power plants installed in Serbia. We still do not have a single power plant connected to the transmission system.
By the end of the year, other auctions will be held for the allocation of market premiums for renewable energy sources, with a quota of 100 MW for solar power plants, which is twice as much as last year. However, even the 50 MW quota was not met by the investors, because at last year’s auctions, a total of 25.2 MW was allocated to five solar power plants.
The total world capacity of solar energy reached 1.6 TW
Solar energy is increasingly prevalent in the world. In 2023, global annual solar panel installations will grow by 87% year-on-year, according to the latest global analysis by SolarPower Europe. The previous year brought 447 GW of new solar capacity compared to 239 GW installed in 2022, bringing total global solar capacity to 1.6 TW.
The record growth was not recorded in all parts of the world, as 80% of installations were concentrated in the 10 largest markets – which mostly include advanced economies. The leader is China, with 57% of the world’s installed solar capacity in 2023. The world is expected to reach a total of 2 TW of solar this year, after reaching 1 TW in 2022. By 2028, the world could install 1 TW of solar energy annually, but it is necessary to enable financing and flexibility of the energy system, says SolarPower Europe.
When it comes to Europe, 56 GW of solar energy will be installed in 2023 alone, providing clean, reliable and cheap energy to almost 17 million homes. With 14.1 GW of new installations, Germany ended 2023 as the solar energy leader, followed by Spain (8.2 GW), Italy (4.8 GW), Poland (4.6 GW) and the Netherlands (4.1 GW).
EU solar capacity has increased significantly from 164 GW in 2021 to 260 GW by 2023. The sector is also responsible for the creation of tens of thousands of well-paid jobs. Analysis by SolarPower Europe shows that next year, in 2025, the solar industry will need a million workers, from installers and accountants to project managers. By 2050, solar will create four million jobs.
About the holiday
Together with 54 cross-sector organizations, SolarPower Europe organizes the celebration of the European Solar Day on 21st June, the brightest and longest day of the year, to bring together people across Europe to celebrate the power and potential of the sun, as well as the importance of solar energy in the energy transition.
Solar energy is the most affordable clean energy technology in Europe, the organization says. No other energy has the power to transform people’s lives like solar power, which today powers millions of people in Europe, helping them save on their electricity bills and reduce emissions.