Energy provider E.ON has said demand for solar installations among German private customers has roughly doubled since the military escalation between Israel, the United States, and Iran began at the end of February, with interest in heat pumps and electric vehicle chargers also rising sharply.
Filip Thon, CEO of E.ON Energie Deutschland, confirmed that solar inquiries have doubled compared to recent months and that the company has already expanded capacity in its solar teams in response. He noted that many households are seeking to protect themselves against rising energy prices and supply risks.
Renewable energy companies 1KOMMA5° and Enpal have made similar claims in German media, with 1KOMMA5° citing a doubling of demand compared to the previous month and Enpal describing demand as comparable to levels seen during the last gas crisis.
But not all industry voices are as bullish. Peter Knuth, managing director of PV equipment supplier Enerix, said an internal survey found only 30% of partner businesses were recording above-average inquiries, while 45% attributed the current uptick to seasonal patterns. Knuth said customer interest is rising, but only marginally, noting that the solar industry reliably sees demand recover each spring after the slow winter months.
German PV systems wholesaler EWS GmbH & Co. KG, in its February market analysis, described the mood as optimistic but not euphoric. EWS (Handewitt) Managing Director Jan Paul Dahm said rising fossil fuel prices and energy supply uncertainty are generating increased attention, and added that the discussion is reminding consumers that renewable energy is the only path to long-term energy independence.
Carsten Körnig, managing director of Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft (BSW), acknowledged geopolitical effects but was more measured in his analysis. The German solar industry association official said the energy price spike is opening many people's eyes and that a temporary increase in demand for solar, heating, and storage systems is likely – a pattern already observed at the start of the Ukraine war. Körnig also flagged a domestic policy factor: announcements by German Federal Economy Minister Katherina Reiche that subsidies for new rooftop solar on private homes will end from 2027 could be accelerating near-term demand. How strong this upturn will prove remains to be seen, said Körnig.
The geopolitical backdrop is material. Following attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran on Feb. 28, Tehran imposed restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for liquefied natural gas (LNG) and crude oil from the Gulf states. Since early March, tanker traffic through the strait has dropped sharply. Germany sources most of its natural gas from Norway, but disruptions in global LNG markets – including potential supply reductions from Qatar – feed directly into European price formation.
Data from Verivox and Strom-Report show electricity prices for new customers have risen around 8.5% over four weeks, from an average of €0.2318 ($0.27)/kWh to €0.2516/kWh. The current average for new customers stands at €0.277/kWh; existing customers pay €0.312/kWh on average, while basic supply tariffs run to €0.4283/kWh. Gas prices for new customers have risen more moderately, from €0.0799/kWh in December to €0.098/kWh currently.
Both moves remain well below the levels reached in 2022, when Russia's invasion of Ukraine halted gas supplies to Europe and drove prices to historic highs – a period that also produced a significant increase in rooftop solar sales. E.ON Energie Deutschland's Thon said that the longer the situation remains tense, the stronger interest in energy independence is likely to become, adding that crises do not create new trends but accelerate existing ones.
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