Record-Breaking Sunshine: Parts of Europe See Significantly More Spring Solar Radiation
Data for the three spring months of this year show that the best conditions for photovoltaics were not in the southern part of the continent.
Western Europe experienced the highest levels of solar radiation in history during this year's spring months, with levels significantly exceeding the long-term historical average. Data indicate an increase in global horizontal irradiance in some areas by up to 50% compared to the 30-year average. This translates to more favorable conditions for harnessing solar energy.
Significantly above-average values in March, April, and May were observed in Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, northwestern France, and western Germany.
Great Britain experienced its hottest spring in over 120 years. The number of sunshine hours also reached a record 653, surpassing the previous maximum of 626 from spring 2020. The increased solar radiation there led to a 42% year-on-year increase in electricity production from photovoltaic power plants during the first five months of this year, the highest ever recorded. Solar energy accounted for over 10% of electricity production during April and May.
However, not the entire European continent received more sunshine. Southern European countries – Spain, Portugal, and Italy – recorded up to 25% less incoming solar radiation compared to the long-term average.
According to data from Solargis, Czechia and Poland also showed more solar radiation than the long-term average in March. A slightly smaller increase was also observed in the western part of Slovakia. Conversely, a rainier and cloudier May in this region resulted in below-average solar radiation.
Image: Solar radiation intensity in March 2025 compared to the long-term average
Source: Solargis
"The variability of solar radiation in Europe means that some regions showed below-average radiation, which increases the importance of data-driven decision-making for the solar industry," states Solargis, a company with Slovak roots, which specializes in data analysis and the development of predictive software for photovoltaic power plant developers and operators.
Source: www.energie-portal.sk