Germany’s solar power generation is expected to rise significantly this summer, which will help shield Europe from some of the consequences of the war in Iran by reducing imports of liquefied natural gas, according to Bloomberg.

Production from photovoltaic installations in Europe’s largest energy market is expected to average about 16.5 GW from April through September, up about 31% from the previous year, according to BloombergNEF data. This will reduce the amount of gas needed to generate electricity during the same period by about 29%, the equivalent of roughly nine ships loaded with liquefied natural gas.

The number of solar panels in Germany will increase by 15% this year, a rise that will help mitigate competition with Asian buyers of liquefied natural gas as the conflict in the Middle East drives up prices. The additional renewable energy production should also provide some relief as Europe refills its depleted gas storage facilities ahead of next winter.

Analysts at BloombergNEF estimate that, thanks to the increase in photovoltaic production in Germany, gas-fired electricity generation is expected to drop to a low of about 2.5 GW in July. Similarly, coal-fired electricity generation, which still plays an important role in Germany’s energy mix, is also expected to drop by about 63%, to approximately 3.2 GW between April and September.

However, gas will remain essential for balancing Germany’s energy system and setting electricity prices, especially when renewable energy production is low.

AGERPRES