Issued on: 11/11/2026 - FRANCE 24
Eve Irvine is pleased to welcome Thierry Bros, energy & climate expert and Professor of Science and Economics at Sciences Po. As geopolitical conflicts unsettle global energy markets and governments struggle to reconcile climate commitments with economic and security imperatives, the answer lies in a fundamental reconsideration of the sequence of climate policy. "Electrification first," he argues, acknowledging that this "doesn't necessarily mean clean electricity." His argument is grounded in a critical assessment of international climate diplomacy and European energy policy. "We've seen many COPs, and they've all failed," he contends, questioning the effectiveness of ambitious targets that have yet to deliver the necessary structural transformation. In his view, electrification offers a more pragmatic route than some of the technological priorities previously championed by European policymakers.
Germany's solar power production nears record level
14.11.2026
Solar energy in net electricity generation in Germany is fast approaching a record total of more than 100 terawatt-hours in a single calendar year.
By September 27, solar output had already reached 90.2 terawatt-hours, already surpassing the total 90 terawatt-hours generated for all of 2025, according to the German Solar Association (BSW-Solar) in Berlin.
An unusually large number of sunshine hours and the continued expansion of photovoltaics contributed to the high figures, said the association, citing a generation update released by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE on Saturday.
By contrast, 20 years ago, solar power generated only 2.2 terawatt-hours over the entire year.
The approaching record is a milestone for the energy transition, said Carsten Körnig, managing director of BSW-Solar.
"Photovoltaics has developed from a niche technology into a cornerstone of our electricity supply," Körnig said. "Society as a whole benefits from this: through cheaper electricity, fewer energy import and significantly lower climate-related damages."
An electricity volume of 100 terawatt-hours is a huge amount. One terawatt-hour is one billion kilowatt-hours.
For comparison, 10.7 terawatt-hours of electricity were consumed last year in the city of Hamburg. Households in Germany typically consume 2,000 to 4,000 kilowatt-hours a year.
According to Germany's Federal Statistical Office, 59.1% of all domestically produced electricity in the first half of 2026 came from renewable sources.
Photovoltaics accounted for 17.8% of the total electricity volume and was the third most important energy source of domestically produced electricity behind wind power, the top energy source, followed by coal.
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