European April wind output up 28% on year; solar up 18% amid new peak records

European wind power output rose about 28% year-over-year in April while solar generation increased 18% to a new record for the month, preliminary system data show.

Wind generation averaged about 59 GW, slightly below the April record set in 2024, according to daily data by WindEurope as well as BMRS data for Great Britain analyzed by Platts.

Year-to-date wind output is averaging about 75 GW, the highest on record for this stage of the year, with installed wind capacity across Europe (EU27+GB) set to reach 300 GW later this year.

Meanwhile, solar output across the EU27 reached 33 TWh in April, a new record for the month, as various markets reached new peak records, according to Entso-e data aggregated by Fraunhofer ISE.

German solar output peaked April 30 around midday at 54.2 GW. The country has some 120 GW of solar installed.

Across the EU27, solar output peaked April 26 at 156 GW compared to a 132 GW peak last April.

Europe's 400 GW installed solar capacity is having a major impact on deflating peakload power prices amid rising volumes of negative hourly prices.

In Spain, solar topped the April power mix despite rising curtailments and hourly prices between 11 am and 5 pm averaged near zero over the course of the month.

Meanwhile, France registered a record 125 negative hourly prices in April.

French May peakload power settled April 30 barely above Eur10/MWh on EEX, indicating very bearish supply and demand fundamentals.

Wind is forecast to ease in line with seasonal norms in May, with spotrenewables.com pegging German wind to average about 12 GW for May 1-7, while Spanish wind is forecast to average about 3 GW in the first seven days of May.

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed Spain's daily solar capture prices in a range of minus Eur0.92/MWh to Eur49.99/MWh in April.

UK offshore wind capture prices were pegged between GBP5.74/MWh and GBP114.39/MWh in April, according to daily assessments by Platts.