Solar power during summer is useful for two main reasons. Firstly, the sun is shining the most during this time, even though warmer temperatures don't allow solar panels to function at their peak capacity, and secondly, more AC units are being installed across hot European countries, so more power is needed.

The share of AC units installed in Europe grew from 10% in the year 2000 to 19% last year, with more and more people purchasing such appliances for their homes or shops

Kristian Ruby, secretary general of electricity industry group Eurelectric, said for Reuters that "the very significant growth in solar basically compensates for the peaks that are caused by air conditioning."

Last year, Spain added 4.5 gigawatts of solar capacity to its network, allowing the country to produce the most solar energy in July, 2023, while Greece also supplemented its photovoltaics network to ensure a stable and secure energy supply.

Solar power helped stabilize the grid and cover the extra demand even in cooler, less sunny countries, such as Belgium, which was able to cover 100% of the added demand through solar energy.

Lower demand played an important role, as well, say experts, who say that in Spain, for example, the average power use per home was 3.6% lower in 2023 compared to last year, whereas in Italy it was also lower, by 4.4%.