Solar energy and the price of light are suffocating it

Europe opted for the wind. For years, wind turbines were symbol of the energy transition in the continent; The spearhead of the European renewable industry. But something has been crooked. Wind energy, especially offshore, has stopped its expansion dry While photovoltaic solar grows wildlyapparently unstoppable.

A very unequal career. After a few years growing in parallel, the plot beat wind in facilities at the beginning of this decade. Since then, he has been adding between four and five times more capacity than wind every year.

They are complementary energies (the wind blows even at night), but it is being an unequal race. Not to say a beating. In 2024, Europe installed more than 65 GW of photovoltaic solar capacity. At the same time, expanded its wind capacity in 16 GWless than the previous year, but in the line of the last 20 years.

The industry has gathered. 16,000 industry members gathered in Copenhagen a few days ago to discuss it, a new record of attendees at the Windeurope Biennial Conference. Giants like Orsted asked for a pact for marine wind: according to Bloombergthe most affected branch of the sector.

They want long -term contracts supported by governments that guarantee fixed prices for electricity, which gives us a key to the problem: many projects do not take off for financial uncertainty.

Wind energy (black) and solar (yellow) facilities since 2000. Image: Bloomberg

Electricity too cheap? Europe already has so much renewable capacity that, when the wind blows, wind turbines flood the cheap electricity marketsinking prices (Sometimes until they make them negative), which discourages new investments.

Without mechanisms to manage that oversu Green hydrogen production), Building more wind in certain European countries ceases to be profitable.

It is not the only problem. Beef by the increase in steel price, the rise in interest rates and complex logistics to transport palas and towers, the wind industry has seen its offices fired. Building wind farms, especially in the sea, is today much more expensive than a few years ago.

Wind is also exposed to greater bureaucracy and public opposition than solar. Permits to install wind farms remain a bureaucratic crucis in many regions (if not, tell Galicia). To which the local opposition is added due to the landscape impact, an obstacle that the solar panels (although they also have their own) raffle more easily.

A solar sponator. While wind fight against wind and tide (never better), photovoltaic solar lives its golden age thanks, above all, to mass production in China. The oversight has Negative consequences for Chinese companiesbut in Europe we only see the good side: the solar panels are getting cheaperaccessible and efficient.

They can also be installed almost anywhere: roofs, wasteland, facades … and its deployment is much faster and modular than that of a wind farm. Self -consumption and energy communities shoot thanks to these facilities, which also explains the decoupling between solar capacity and wind capacity.

A global trend. In the rest of the world Three quarters of the same occurs. While global solar facilities grew 34% in 2024, wind turbines barely added 5% capacity. For Europe, which has a strong wind industry and very demanding climatic objectives, it is very bad news.

Although solar grows faster, wind usually has a larger plant factor; That is, it produces more energy by megavatio installed throughout the year. They are also complementary energy sources: the wind usually blows stronger in winter and at night, just when the lot falters. We need both to decarbonize the network in a stable and safe way.

In Xataka | Europe has installed so much renewable energy that now has an unusual problem: too cheap electricity