The old power grid is dead, distributed solar power is in control: a fundamental shift in the energy landscape.

Core Data

• The share of renewable energy in the EU is expected to double from 33% to 67% by 2030.
• With the promotion of the Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. is expected to add 1000GW of photovoltaic power by 2035, of which 25% will be rooftop solar.
• Spain has achieved 2.5GW of installed rooftop photovoltaic capacity, accounting for over 10% of the total domestic photovoltaic capacity.
• In a certain power grid in Western Australia, the share of solar power generation reached 72% in a single day a week ago.

Three Major Drivers of the Energy Revolution

1. Economic Reversal Photovoltaics have become the cheapest power source, with rooftop photovoltaic costs as low as $1/W, equivalent to $60/MWh after financing, which is only 20% of traditional grid electricity prices. High energy prices have accelerated this trend, with consumers shifting from passive electricity use to “energy production and consumption” (ProSumer).

2. Geopolitical Pressure After the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the European energy crisis has spurred policy support. Germany exempts VAT for photovoltaic installations below 30kW, France has launched a collective self-consumption plan, and the EU has mandated that all new public and commercial buildings must install rooftop photovoltaics by 2026.

3. Restructuring the Power Grid Distributed photovoltaic not only generates electricity but also serves as the infrastructure for smart grids. It will drive electric vehicle charging, heat pump heating, and energy storage system interaction, achieving real-time energy scheduling and peak shaving through the Internet of Things and demand response.

Global Differences: Who is Leading

Brazil: 68% of photovoltaic installations are distributed (12 million systems), mainly concentrated in commercial buildings.

Australia: The penetration rate of rooftop photovoltaics in millions of households far exceeds that of Europe and the United States, and is exploring “vehicle-to-grid interaction” ( V2G ) technology.

Spain: The contribution rate of rooftop photovoltaic power generation from the western power grid exceeded 70% in a single day, verifying the feasibility of ultra-high penetration rates.

EU Goal: An additional 58GW of rooftop photovoltaics by 2025, with rooftop photovoltaics accounting for over 50% of the EU's total photovoltaic installed capacity by 2030.

Long-term Forecast

By 2035, the global installed capacity of newly added rooftop photovoltaics may reach 500GW (300GW in Europe + 250GW in the US), and the power grid will shift from centralized fossil energy to a point-to-point intelligent green electricity system. This is not only a response to the energy crisis but also the foundation for the comprehensive electrification of buildings, transportation, and heating.

The former “large power plant → long-distance transmission → users” model is being replaced by the “rooftop photovoltaics → local storage → real-time scheduling”.