The war in Iran has triggered a global energy crisis with rapidly rising prices for oil, gas, and electricity. This has served as a wake-up call for homeowners across Europe. To escape escalating costs, an increasing number are turning to their own energy source on the roof: solar power systems. In Germany, Great Britain, and the Netherlands, demand for such systems has more than doubled since the war began, according to energy providers and wholesalers. This boom highlights how geopolitical shocks can accelerate the energy transition.
Customers’ motivations are not solely financial; independence and security of supply are also key. “This is a matter of European resilience,” says Mario Kohle, founder and CEO of the German solar company Enpal. “Just as Europe must be able to defend itself, we must also be able to supply ourselves with energy.” Janik Nolden, co-founder of wholesaler Solarhandel24, agrees: “The war has only exposed the problem that has always existed: energy dependence.” He believes European governments have knowingly walked into a trap.
The numbers confirm the surge. Solarhandel24 tripled its net sales in March compared to the previous year, reaching almost 70 million euros, and expects another threefold increase in April. Consequently, the company plans to hire about a third more staff. Enpal also saw a 30 percent increase in orders in March, totaling 130 million euros. Energy group Eon reports a doubling of customer inquiries. “This cannot be explained by seasonal factors alone,” says Eon manager Filip Thon. The stock of inverter manufacturer SMA Solar has risen by 50 percent since the war began.
Structural Shift
The current boom is particularly noteworthy as the European solar market had slightly shrunk in 2025 for the first time in nearly a decade. One reason was weak demand from private customers after government subsidy programs expired. In Germany, a planned reform of the Renewable Energy Sources Act, which aims to create new incentives, is now an additional driver. The cost of a system for an average single-family home ranges between 10,000 and 20,000 euros.
Complete systems are in demand. Customers are often connecting solar panels on their roofs directly with battery storage and charging stations for electric cars, known as wallboxes. This allows excess electricity to be stored and used later. According to the industry association Holland Solar, demand for storage technology has increased by 40 to 50 percent. However, a significant dependency remains: almost 90 percent of the world’s installed solar panels come from China. Chinese manufacturers, however, have stated that the surge in demand from Europe will hardly be enough to absorb the industry’s massive overcapacities.
Nevertheless, for experts, the development is a clear signal. The surge in demand is a “structural shift that is being accelerated by current geopolitical events but not created by them,” says Ed Janvrin from the British energy provider OVO Energy. Jannik Schall, co-founder of the German company 1Komma5Grad, sees a parallel to the energy crisis of 2022, when demand was even higher: “The recurring energy crises vindicate the renewable sector.”
