In May 2026, the European energy landscape demonstrated notable fluctuations in solar and wind energy production across key markets. The week of May 11 marked a significant rebound for solar photovoltaic energy generation, particularly in Italy, which saw an impressive increase of 19%. This surge followed two weeks of declines, indicating a recovery trend. Conversely, the German market experienced minimal growth at just 0.5%, while Spain and France recorded increases of 6.1% and 8.5%, respectively. Portugal stood out as the only market to report a decrease, with photovoltaic generation down by 3.0%.
As the month progressed into the week of May 18, forecasts from AleaSoft Energy Forecasting suggested that solar generation would remain robust in Italy, Germany, and Spain. This anticipated strength is attributed to favorable seasonal conditions and improved solar resource availability, reinforcing the upward trajectory observed in these markets.
<pWind energy production also saw substantial gains during the second week of May. Germany led this resurgence with a remarkable 120% increase in wind generation, effectively reversing a downward trend from prior weeks. Spain’s wind output grew by 21%, marking its third consecutive week of growth. France and Italy experienced significant rebounds as well, with increases of 50% and 100%, respectively. However, Portugal faced challenges with wind output declining by 7.1%.
<pA standout moment occurred on May 12 when Germany achieved its highest daily wind energy production for May in four years, reaching a total of 623 GWh. This milestone highlights the volatility and potential scale of wind generation within Europe’s largest power market.
<pLooking ahead to the third week of May, forecasts indicated a potential decline in wind production across all analyzed European markets. This anticipated downturn suggests a short-term reversal following the significant gains recorded in the previous week, as reported by AleaSoft.
