The popularity of solar power is rapidly increasing, and interest in large-scale industrial solar power plants in particular is growing. Although renewable energy sources have been gaining popularity, the adoption of solar power has been slowed, especially by the high unit costs of solar panels.

However, over the past decade, the situation has changed significantly. Technological development and the adoption of new, advanced manufacturing methods have reduced production costs and improved the efficiency of solar panels. This has made solar power more profitable, as seen in the growth in the number of industrial-scale (over 1 MW) solar power plants. This is also indicated by a statement issued by Renewable Finland in June 2025, which reported that at the end of 2024, there were 27 industrial-scale solar power plants in the country, with a combined capacity of 125 MW. According to the statement, this capacity had increased to 251 MW by mid 2025, which meaning that Finland’s industrial-scale solar power capacity doubled in just six months.

Because of high unit costs, solar power was previously mostly found in southern regions. However, studies have shown that solar panels are more efficient in cooler climates than in warmer ones. This means that northern areas can produce almost the same amount of energy despite seasonal variations. The diffuse radiation reflected from the ground is also higher in northern regions, as snow covers the ground for almost half the year and effectively reflects sunlight. The collection of diffuse radiation can also be enhanced, for example, with bifacial solar panels. A 2021 study found that these panels can be up to 16.8% more efficient than monofacial panels. Therefore, bifacial panels are likely to become more common in the future, at least in northern regions.

Although the transition to renewable energy sources has already progressed significantly in Finland, the share of solar power in energy production has remained very small. According to preliminary data published by Statistics Finland in April 2025, solar power accounted for only about 1.5% of Finland’s electricity production in 2024. However, the transition to renewables is advancing rapidly, and Finland’s transmission system operator Fingrid estimates that the country’s solar power capacity could exceed 15 GW by 2035.

This change will transform the entire energy system and reduce dependence on fossil fuels in electricity production. However, transformation will require effective solutions for the operation and maintenance of power plants, as well as alternatives for balancing the electricity grid. These topics will explore in the upcoming installments of the Energy from the Sun series.