Solar Car Park Mandates are Spreading Across Europe. Who Will Use the Power?

Different Markets, Different Requirements

Solar obligations vary across Europe, including what triggers them and when businesses need to comply.

The rules are still evolving. The Netherlands has discussed a French-style obligation since 2023 but has not adopted one.

In June 2026, Brandenburg voted to remove its state-level solar requirement, meaning new car parks will no longer be subject to it from 2027, although some will still fall under federal rules. Across Europe, however, solar canopies are becoming a more common part of car park planning.

_{Sources: CMS, Obligation de solarisation des parkings extérieurs : les conditions du report des échéances précisées; Öko-Zentrum NRW, Übersicht zur Solarpflicht für Gebäude; Vlaanderen.be, Verplichting zonnepanelen voor gebouwen met hoge elektriciteitsafname; EUR-Lex, Directive (EU) 2024/1275 on the energy performance of buildings}

Why Using Solar Power on Site Matters More

Solar canopies generate most of their electricity around midday, when other solar installations are producing too. With so much power available at the same time, electricity exported to the grid can be worth less.

In 2025, wholesale prices were negative for around 6% of hours in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain, compared with roughly 3 to 5% in 2024.

Using that electricity on site can bring more value, as it reduces the amount a business needs to buy from the grid, including associated network charges and taxes. The return on a solar canopy therefore depends heavily on how much of its production the site can consume.

_{Sources: IEA, Electricity 2026: Prices}

Heatwaves Make Charging Times Even More Important

During summer, Europe can experience a Hitzeflaute, the German term for periods of high temperatures and very little wind.

Solar installations continue producing during daylight hours, while wind generation drops and demand for cooling rises. This can put pressure on the grid and lead to more volatile electricity prices, particularly for businesses with dynamic energy contracts.

On 1 July 2025, during a heatwave, Germany’s average wholesale electricity price was 175% higher than a week earlier. Once solar production dropped in the evening, prices climbed above €0.40 per kWh.

_{Sources: Ember, Heat and power: impacts of the 2025 heatwave in Europe}

For businesses with EV charging, timing makes a difference. Charging vehicles during solar production hours means more of the energy can come directly from the canopy.

Waiting until the evening can mean buying electricity at higher prices. By adjusting charging to available solar power and distributing demand throughout the day, businesses can reduce their exposure to price peaks during heatwaves.

Read more about how smart energy management helps you stay ahead of Hitzeflaute

EV Charging Makes Good Use of Car Park Solar

The vehicles parked beneath a solar canopy can also use the electricity it generates.

At workplaces, employees often leave their cars parked throughout the day, when solar production is highest. Retail visitors typically stay for shorter periods, but their charging demand can still overlap with daylight hours. This makes EV charging a practical way to increase solar self-consumption.

European regulation is also driving investment in charging infrastructure.

Since 2025, existing non-residential buildings with more than 20 parking spaces have been required to provide charging points, with the number determined by national rules. Where solar and EV charging requirements apply to the same site, it makes sense to plan both together. Installing ducts, cables and sufficient capacity during canopy construction can avoid costly work later. 

Read more on the EPBD rules

Of course, EV charging will not always use all the solar electricity available, especially during weekends or quieter periods. Other consumers, such as lighting, cooling and ventilation in nearby buildings, can also benefit. The more of these loads a site can coordinate, the more solar energy it can use itself.

_{Sources: European Commission, Energy Performance of Buildings Directive}

Making Solar and EV Charging Work Together

Installing solar panels above EV chargers does not automatically mean vehicles will charge on solar energy. Without coordination, chargers can draw power from the grid even when solar production is low.

If several vehicles charge at once, demand can also approach the site’s grid connection limit, which may be costly or difficult to increase.

An energy management system (EMS) brings solar production, building consumption and EV charging demand together in real time. It can increase charging power when surplus solar energy is available, reduce it when the building needs more electricity and keep total demand within the available grid capacity.

Adding a battery: keeping the sun for later

Even with smart charging, a canopy often produces when the cars are not there: at weekends, on quiet afternoons, or at sites where most drivers arrive in the evening. A battery energy storage system (BESS) closes that gap. It stores surplus solar power during the day and releases it later, to charge cars in the evening or to supply the building when prices peak.

A battery also helps with the grid connection. When several cars start charging at once, it can supply part of the power, so the site stays below its connection limit without slowing every car down. That can save an expensive connection upgrade, or simply keep peaks, and the costs linked to them, under control.

But a battery only pays off when it is well controlled. Someone, or something, has to decide every few seconds where the solar power goes: straight into the cars and the building first, the surplus into the battery, and the battery back into the evening peak. Without that coordination, a battery can end up charging from the grid at the wrong moment, or sit full while solar power is exported for next to nothing.

A battery is not a must for every car park. It makes most sense when a large share of the solar output would otherwise be exported, when a lot of charging happens in the evening, or when the grid connection is tight. Measuring the site first shows which of these applies, and how big the battery should be.

Four Questions to Ask Before Investing

1. Who will park under the canopy, and when? 

   Parking patterns and how long vehicles stay determine how much solar electricity EV charging can use.

2. What else on site can use the solar electricity? 

   Buildings, lighting and cooling can all contribute to higher self-consumption during the day.

3. Is future EV charging included in the design? 

   Plan ducts, cable sizes and spare capacity before construction starts.

4. How will solar production, building consumption and charging be managed together? 

   Metering and coordinated control help the site make better use of the electricity it produces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is solar on car parks mandatory in Europe?

Under EU rules, new roofed car parks physically adjacent to buildings must have solar installations by 31 December 2029, where feasible. Some national and regional rules go further. France requires solar canopies on large existing outdoor car parks, while several German states require solar installations on new car parks.

Which car parks are covered by the French solar canopy law?

The French obligation covers outdoor car parks larger than 1,500 m². The deadline for those above 10,000 m² was 1 July 2026, while car parks between 1,500 and 10,000 m² have until 1 July 2028. Deferrals may apply under specific conditions.

Why use solar power on site instead of selling it?

Solar electricity produced around midday is often worth less when exported to the grid. In several European markets, wholesale prices were negative for around 6% of hours in 2025. Using solar electricity on site instead can reduce electricity purchases from the grid.

Can a solar canopy power EV chargers?

Yes, vehicles parked during daylight hours can use electricity generated by the canopy. An energy management system can adjust charging power in real time to make use of available solar energy without exceeding the site’s grid connection limit.