In early January, the Iberian Peninsula witnessed a remarkable surge in solar photovoltaic production, contrasting sharply with declines observed in several central European markets. Spain led the charge with a notable increase of 39% in solar output, while Portugal followed with a more modest rise of 16%. Meanwhile, Italy, Germany, and France experienced significant downturns; Italy and France reported decreases of 8.8% and 26%, respectively, and Germany marked its second consecutive week of falling generation with a drop of 23%.
The week also saw several countries achieving historic milestones for solar energy generation. On January 5, Portugal recorded its second-highest photovoltaic output ever for a January day at 16 GWh. Italy set an all-time record for January on January 11 with 63 GWh, while Spain achieved the third-highest January production in its history on the same day, generating 115 GWh, just below previous peaks from January 2025.
Looking ahead to the week beginning January 12, forecasts from AleaSoft Energy indicate that solar production is expected to decline across Germany, Spain, and Italy, reversing the positive trends established earlier in the month.
In contrast to solar trends, wind energy generation showed significant growth across most major European markets during the second week of January. Spain experienced the most substantial increase with a remarkable 119% week-on-week rise, while France followed closely with an 87% increase. Portugal and Italy also recorded positive momentum with increases of 21% and 24%, respectively. Notably, Germany was the only market to see a decline in wind output, which fell by 35% after two weeks of growth.
This period also set new records for wind energy production. On January 9, Spain reached an all-time high of 453 GWh. Italy followed suit on January 10 by setting its own record at 188 GWh. France achieved its second-highest wind production for a January day on January 9 with 429 GWh, just shy of the peak recorded in late January 2025.
AleaSoft’s projections for the second week of January suggest that while wind energy production is anticipated to rise in Germany, declines are expected in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and France—a clear indication of shifting market dynamics compared to the previous week.
