Europe rooftop solar demand surges amid Iran war fallout

ISLAMABAD: Demand for rooftop solar systems in Europe has surged since the start of the Iran war, as households seek ways to cut electricity bills and shield themselves from another energy shock, Reuters reported on Thursday. 

The conflict has driven up oil, gas and power prices, renewing interest in home solar across several countries.

The report said companies in Germany, Britain and the Netherlands have seen demand from homeowners more than double since the war began in late February. 

The rebound is striking because Europe’s solar market weakened last year, with residential rooftop systems accounting for just 14% of new installations in 2025, about half their share in 2021.

In Germany, solar wholesaler Solarhandel24 said its net sales more than tripled in March from a year earlier to nearly 70 million euros. 

The company expects another strong month in April and plans to hire about 85 more workers as orders continue to grow.

To keep up, it has built stockpiles of around 500,000 solar panels. Company executives said the move was expensive, but justified by expectations of much higher demand this year.

German energy firm Enpal also reported strong growth. 

Its orders rose 30% year-on-year in March to 130 million euros, while April was tracking for a 33% increase to about 120 million euros, driven mainly by rooftop systems.

Batteries included

The boom is spreading beyond solar panels alone. 

More households are now buying full systems that include batteries and electric-vehicle wallboxes, allowing them to store excess electricity and use it later, which is lifting demand for storage technology as well. 

Dutch industry group Holland Solar said demand for storage has climbed by 40% to 50%.

There is also a major contradiction in Europe’s energy transition. 

While homeowners are turning to solar to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels, almost 90% of the solar panels used in these systems still come from China.

Even so, some executives told Reuters this looks like more than a temporary spike. 

They said repeated geopolitical crises are making rooftop solar increasingly attractive not only as a way to lower bills, but also as a tool for energy security.