European countries boost prosumers via solar incentives, leading to energy communities and regulatory discussions.
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The phenomenon of prosumers, individuals who both produce and consume energy, has significantly grown across several European countries, accelerated by the 2021-2022 energy price crisis. In Romania, rooftop photovoltaic installations now equal the power output of three Cernavodă nuclear reactors, supported by government funding for installations and storage batteries. As of late 2024, there were over 198,756 prosumers in Romania with a total installed capacity exceeding 2,236 MW, and this trend is expected to continue. Government programs like “Casa Verde Fotovoltaice” have heavily subsidized these installations.
In Lithuania, the number of prosumers and installed solar capacity doubled in 2023, with residential and commercial solar power reaching over 1 GW, accounting for 90% of the country’s total solar capacity. The government offers subsidies for solar panel installation, and energy storage devices are becoming essential following Lithuania’ disconnection from the BRELL grid.
Spain has seen a surge in photovoltaic installations, with new capacity increasing by over 100% between 2020 and 2021 across industrial, residential, and commercial sectors. Key benefits for Spanish prosumers include financial compensation for surplus energy injection into the grid, simplified administrative procedures, and the elimination of the “sun tax.” Spain also features numerous community energy initiatives that aim to provide environmental, economic, and social benefits.
In Czechia, over 13,000 people are interested in energy sharing, with small-scale solar capacity growing rapidly from about 50 MW in 2021 to an estimated 1,000 MW in two years, supported by the “Green Savings” program which offers subsidies up to 60% for low-income households.
The next step involves forming energy communities to allow local sharing of energy at lower costs. While Romania is developing legislation for these communities, a proposed ministerial draft has faced criticism from prosumer associations who argue it creates unnecessary hurdles, such as requiring payments for imbalances and green certificates, which they claim contradicts European trends encouraging early support for this model.
