Potential of solar electricity generation in the European Union member states and candidate countries

During the years 2001–2005, a European solar radiation database was developed using a solar radiation model and climatic data integrated within the Photovoltaic Geographic Information System (PVGIS). The database, with a resolution of 1 km × 1 km, consists of monthly and yearly averages of global irradiation and related climatic parameters, representing the period 1981–1990. The database has been used to analyse regional and national differences of solar energy resource and to assess the photovoltaic (PV) potential in the 25 European Union member states and 5 candidate countries. The calculation of electricity generation potential by contemporary PV technology is a basic step in analysing scenarios for the future energy supply and for a rational implementation of legal and financial frameworks to support the developing industrial production of PV. Three aspects are explored within this paper: (1) the expected average annual electricity generation of a ‘standard’ 1 kW_p grid-connected PV system; (2) the theoretical potential of PV electricity generation; (3) determination of required installed capacity for each country to supply 1% of the national electricity consumption from PV. The analysis shows that PV can already provide a significant contribution to a mixed renewable energy portfolio in the present and future European Union.