Solar panels are mandatory for newly constructed homes in Bremen. - Solar installations required for new residences in Bremen
In a bid to significantly increase solar capacity and meet national targets, Germany's solar installation regulations vary by federal state, each with its unique approach tailored to regional characteristics.
Berlin and Hamburg, the city-states, lead the way with stringent regulations. Berlin's Solar Act, effective from 2023, mandates solar panels on at least 30% of suitable roof areas for new buildings. Existing buildings undergoing roof changes are also required to incorporate solar additions, with some exceptions. Hamburg follows suit, mandating solar on new residential and commercial roofs starting in 2023.
Bavaria, initially cautious, has recently joined the fray, requiring all new commercial buildings from 2023 to include solar panels. By 2025, it will also mandate solar installations on large existing non-residential buildings undergoing roof replacement. Bavaria is currently leading in capacity additions, adding 4 GW in 2024 and remaining the top contributor among states.
States like Saxony and Brandenburg focus on utility-scale ground-mounted solar projects, leveraging lower land costs and simplified land-assembly processes. Urban regions, including Berlin, Hamburg, and Cologne, see strong rooftop and balcony solar uptake, supported by local grants and federal incentives.
Northern rural states encourage agrivoltaics, combining agriculture and solar PV to address land-use conflicts. Projects like Vattenfall’s agri-PV park in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania demonstrate this innovative approach.
At the federal level, Germany aims for 215 GW of solar capacity by 2030 to achieve renewable energy targets aligned with the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive III (which mandates at least 42.5% renewable share in EU energy consumption by 2030). The federal government is accelerating renewable expansion by streamlining approval processes for renewable projects, including solar, to shorten timelines and centralize permitting under a single authority with digital application procedures starting November 2025.
In January 2025, the Federal Network Agency issued tenders for 2.26 GW of ground-mounted solar projects on agricultural and grassland areas, with plans for auctioning nearly 9.9 GW throughout 2025 across three bidding rounds to meet expansion goals.
The table below summarises the key regulations and focus areas for each federal state:
| Federal State | Regulation Highlights | Solar Expansion Focus | |---------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------| | Berlin | Solar on 30%+ suitable roof area on new builds; retrofit | Urban rooftop PV | | Hamburg | Mandates solar on new residential/commercial roofs | Urban rooftop PV | | Bavaria | Solar required on new commercial buildings and roof retrofits | Largest GW additions; southern solar hub | | Saxony, Brandenburg | Utility-scale ground-mounted solar with simpler land assembly | Large-scale PV projects | | Northern States | Agrivoltaics combining farming and solar | Innovative land use via agrivoltaics |
Germany's decentralized approach allows states to tailor solar policies to their regional characteristics while contributing to a common ambitious solar capacity target. The combination of mandates on new buildings, retrofit requirements, utility-scale tenders, and innovative agrivoltaics underpinned by streamlined federal approval processes illustrates Germany’s comprehensive strategy for solar expansion.
- The federal government's employment policy in solar energy sector is accelerating with the streamlining of approval processes for solar projects, providing digital application procedures starting November 2025.
- Amidst the climate-change crisis, various German states have implemented unique employment policies to promote renewable energy, such as Berlin's mandate for solar panels on at least 30% of suitable roof areas for new buildings.
- In the realm of environmental-science and finance, southern region Bavaria's industry-focused policy requires all new commercial buildings from 2023 to include solar panels, aiming to lead in capacity additions.
- Science and finance collaborate in Northern rural states like Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the employment policy promotes agrivoltaics, an innovative approach combining agriculture and solar PV, demonstrating by projects like Vattenfall’s agri-PV park.
