Europe’s car parks could be turned into mini solar farms to slash electricity bills and bolster decarbonisation targets – but not every country is on board.
Solar power has been described as a “shining star” of Europe’s clean energy transition, which is already helping cushion the continent from the soaring costs of oil and gas amid the war on Iran.
Thanks to plummeting costs and fast installation, solar has become the most competitive source of electricity in many parts of the EU. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), in 2024 solar panels were on average 41 per cent cheaper than the lowest-cost fossil fuel alternatives.
This has inspired a whole host of solar panel innovations beyond the traditional ground-mounted solar farms and rooftop installations. Europeans are already harnessing free electricity from their garden fences, while solar railways could soon pop up in Italy following a successful trial in Switzerland.
Are solar car parks a smart idea?
