Dresden (dpa/sn) – Between January and the end of August, 8756 photovoltaic systems (PV) were newly installed in Saxony. According to the Ministry of Energy on Monday, the additionally installed output is 157 megawatts at its peak. This means that significantly more power was installed from PV systems in the first eight months of 2022 than in the entire previous year. These are mostly small systems on roofs.
The increase stands for the energy turnaround in the population, said Minister Wolfram Günther (Greens). “Saxony uses the sun – more and more.” That is applied climate protection, “that’s a price cap for your own household,” he praised the commitment and at the same time referred to the advantage of renewable energies. “They produce cheap electricity, regardless of global crises.” It is also generated decentrally, which increases local energy sovereignty and benefits society and the economy as a whole.
Saxony is working with the federal government to ensure that restrictions on photovoltaics are lifted and rules are simplified, said Günther. In addition to large project sponsors, municipalities and companies that produce their own electricity, tenant electricity projects and citizens’ energy cooperatives “played a very central role”. In the future, as many modules as possible should be made in Europe or made in Saxony, said Günther.
According to the ministry, a total of 8,139 PV systems with a total peak output of 197 megawatts were installed in 2021. Across the country, around 66,700 PV systems could now generate up to 2760 megawatts of electricity.