Solar’s share of electricity demand across the 27 EU member states exceeded 20% for the first time for three consecutive months, according to data from the Energy-Charts platform compiled by Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE.

Energy-Charts calculated a share of 20.3% for May, 21.1% for June and 21.5% for July. As July has not yet fully ended, there may still be marginal changes, but the analysts say this will not affect the record.

During the same period last year, solar’s share of EU electricity demand ranged between 17.3% and 18.8%.

Records for Germany, Switzerland, Austria

Country-level data reveals a series of new records. In Germany, the solar share of electricity demand exceeded 30% for the first time and remained above this level for three consecutive months. Fraunhofer researchers recorded a share of 30.3% in May, 30.4% in June and a preliminary 31.6% in July. July marks a significant increase compared with the previous year, when weather conditions limited photovoltaics to a 22.6% share of electricity demand.

In Switzerland, the 25% threshold was exceeded and maintained for the first time over a three-month period. Energy-Charts reported a solar share of 25.8% in May, 25.3% in June and 26.5% in July. During the same months last year, solar accounted for between 19.1% and 21.8% of electricity demand.

Austria also set new records, achieving a record photovoltaic share of 23.3% of electricity demand in May. In June, the figure was 22.5%, while Energy-Charts reported 21.9% for July. All three values exceeded the previous record of 20.3% set in June 2025, which was the first time Austria surpassed the 20% threshold.

Baltic states lead EU solar shares

Latvia posted the highest solar share recorded in the EU, with photovoltaics accounting for 49% of electricity demand in June. Its Baltic neighbours, Lithuania and Estonia, also recorded strong figures, reaching 44.7% and 35.8%, respectively, in June.

The increase in Latvia is particularly striking. The country’s solar share was already 34.9% in April and rose to 40% in May. For July, Energy-Charts expects the figure to reach 38.9%. By comparison, values during the same period last year ranged between 13.7% and 18.9%.

High shares in Spain, Greece, Bulgaria

In Spain, the photovoltaic share of electricity demand remained consistently above 35% for the first time over the three-month period. The highest value was recorded in June, when solar accounted for 36.9% of electricity demand. Solar’s share was more than five percentage points higher than during the same period last year.

Similar figures were seen in Greece, where the solar share remained above 35% from May to July, representing an increase of more than seven percentage points compared with the same period last year.

In Bulgaria, meanwhile, solar shares – like in Germany – also exceeded 30% between May and July.

France, Italy remain below EU average

France also posted gains, continuing a rise of around two percentage points compared with the same periods in the previous year. However, the figures remain below EU averages. Solar reached its highest-ever share of electricity demand in July, at 14.6%. In June, the figure was 13.6%, while in May it was 12.6%, matching the previous record set in July 2025.

Like France, Italy also remained below the EU average. According to Energy-Charts data, Italy recorded its highest-ever solar share of electricity demand in May, at 19.5%. In July, however, the figure fell to just 16.7%, while June reached 18.5%.