Europe Solar Tracker Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast (2026 - 2031)

Europe Solar Tracker Market Trends and Insights

Abundant Solar Irradiation Across Southern Europe

Annual irradiation above 1,800 kWh/m² in Andalusia and Sicily lifts tracker energy yield 15-20% versus fixed-tilt and compresses payback to under two years.^{[1]Joint Research Centre, “Photovoltaic Geographical Information System,” jrc.ec.europa.eu} Spain added 9.4 GW of new solar capacity in 2024, spearheaded by the 590 MW Francisco Pizarro plant that employs single-axis trackers to harvest peak summer output.^{[2]Iberdrola, “Francisco Pizarro 590 MW Plant Factsheet,” iberdrola.com} Italy’s 5.3 GW of 2024 additions included multiple bifacial-with-tracker projects that maximize rear-side gain on light-colored soils. Greece is following suit: in June 2025, Nextracker won a 550 MW order for the Oricheio PPC Ptolemaida redevelopment, underscoring how trackers unlock value on reclaimed coal land. Northern Europe’s lower irradiation and heavier snow loads moderate this driver’s influence, but Southern Europe’s isolation edge remains a long-term growth pillar.

EU Green Deal & REPowerEU Solar Targets

REPowerEU raises the bloc’s cumulative solar objective to 700 GW by 2030, translating into an annual build-rate near 60 GW, double the 2023 pace.^{[3]SolarPower Europe, “EU Market Outlook 2024–2028,” solarpowereurope.org} Permitting reforms in Germany trimmed approval cycles for >1 MW ground-mount arrays to nine months, unlocking sizable tracker-ready parcels. Spain cleared 3.8 GW of capacity in its June 2024 auction with winning bids averaging EUR 0.029/kWh, reinforcing trackers as the default choice to honor low-priced PPAs. France’s CRE-7 tender allocated 3.7 GW but still battles local opposition, illustrating divergent national execution speeds. Fast-track “renewable acceleration areas” mandated by the revised Renewable Energy Directive are expected to release fresh land banks by 2027, sustaining demand for tracker systems that can maximize energy density.

Declining Tracker Hardware Costs & Improved Reliability

Steel-optimization, large-format modules, and controller miniaturization collectively shaved 12-15% from tracker bill-of-materials between 2020 and 2024. Gross-margin expansion to 28.3% in Nextracker’s fiscal 2025 results signals the scale advantage enjoyed by leading vendors. Bifacial modules, forecast to comprise 60% of global shipments by 2026, further elevate tracker value by capturing 5-10% rear-side gain in high-albedo zones. Mean time between failures for electric drives now exceeds 25 years, lowering O&M reserves and improving bankability. Remaining volatility is tied to commodity cycles; 2024’s 8-12% spike in European hot-rolled coil prices temporarily offset these cost efficiencies but did not derail procurement plans.

Terrain-Following Trackers for Agrivoltaics/Brownfields

Italy’s EUR 1.1 billion agrivoltaic fund requires 70% of land to remain agriculturally productive, pushing developers toward variable-height, dual-axis systems that optimize both crop growth and solar output. Soltec’s June 2024 partnership with TSE deploys vineyard-specific trackers that regulate shading in tune with phenological cycles. TrinaTracker’s Vanguard line accommodates slopes up to 15° without extensive grading, unlocking brownfields and mine-reclamation sites. Aggregate agrivoltaic pipelines now exceed 2.5 GW across Germany, France, and Spain, with trackers specified in roughly two-thirds of announced tenders.

High Upfront CAPEX vs. Fixed-Tilt

Single-axis trackers carry a 15-25% premium, USD 0.08-0.12/WDC, over fixed-tilt, extending payback by up to a year in lower-irradiation or higher-interest-rate markets.^{[4]International Renewable Energy Agency, “Utility-Scale Solar Cost Drivers 2025,” irena.org} Polish and Romanian developers keep tracker penetration below 30% as they seek to minimize debt service costs. Germany’s rooftop-heavy market likewise favors simpler fixed systems. A monetary-policy pivot by the European Central Bank would soften this drag by lowering discount rates, but near-term headwinds persist.

Wind & Snow-Load Engineering in Northern Europe

Wind speeds above 25 m/s and snow loads exceeding 2.5 kN/m² in Scandinavia and the North Sea coast demand reinforced torque tubes, hydraulic brakes, and rapid stow protocols that add 10-15% to structural cost. Hydraulic drives meet these specifications yet are 20-30% more expensive than electric motors and require cold-weather fluids, capping adoption to sites where risk justifies the premium.

Segment Analysis

By Axis Type: Dual-Axis Gains on Terrain Flexibility

Dual-axis installations captured 42.5% of incremental revenue in 2025 and are poised to rise at a 23.0% CAGR, outpacing the overall European solar tracker market by roughly 1 percentage point. Single-axis systems nonetheless dominate headline volumes because they cost 15-20% less and offer simpler maintenance protocols. Spain deployed single-axis trackers on roughly 70% of its 9.4 GW 2024 build, leveraging flat terrain and high irradiation. Italy’s agrivoltaic subsidies tilt the scales toward dual-axis, which can orient away from crops during sensitive growth stages.

Economies of scale still favor single-axis giants; Nextracker shipped 33.6 GW globally in fiscal 2025, while no dual-axis supplier breached 1 GW. Even so, terrain-adaptive hybrids are blurring classification: Greece’s 550 MW Ptolemaida rehabilitation relies on articulated single-axis rows that contour subsidence zones, capturing many benefits of dual-axis without incurring full incremental cost. In lower-irradiation geographies such as Northern Germany, developers continue to prioritize fixed-tilt or basic single-axis to protect return profiles.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Technology: CPV Trackers Exploit Southern Europe’s DNI

Standard PV dominated with 87.1% share in 2025, yet CPV is projected to post a 27.1% CAGR through 2031 by monetizing Southern Europe’s >2,000 kWh/m² DNI corridors. CPV’s 30-35% module efficiency offsets its 40-50% CAPEX premium only in Spain, Greece, and parts of Italy. Iberdrola’s Francisco Pizarro plant illustrates how bifacial PV trackers capture 8-10% rear-side gain, crowding out CPV in many bids.

The European solar tracker market size for CPV remains below USD 0.5 billion, but early-stage pilots by research institutes and EPCs signal a niche future for ultra-high-efficiency arrays where land is scarce. CSP trackers, in contrast, remain sidelined because their USD 0.10-0.15/kWh LCOE cannot match PV-plus-storage. As CPV supply chains mature and standardization improves, dual-axis tracking precision will be indispensable, anchoring their future expansion.

By Drive Type: Hydraulic Systems Answer Nordic Demands

Electric drives accounted for 82.8% of 2025 shipments, reflecting unit costs near USD 200 per row and abundant component sourcing from Asian vendors. The European solar tracker market size for hydraulic configurations is smaller today but is growing briskly, adding 23.9% CAGR to 2031 as wind-prone Nordic and North Sea projects demand fail-safe stow and high torque.

Cold-weather innovations are easing adoption barriers: bio-based hydraulic fluids maintain viscosity to -40 °C, and sealed systems reduce maintenance overhead. Spain and Portugal continue to favor electric drives because design wind speeds rarely exceed 20 m/s. In agrivoltaic zones, linear electric actuators that simultaneously modulate height and tilt are becoming standard, illustrating how application demands rather than geography alone shape drive-type choice.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Application: C&I Trackers Ride Corporate PPA Wave

Utility-scale projects still accounted for 83.3% of 2025 revenue, yet the commercial and industrial sub-segment is on track to expand at 23.2% CAGR as EU climate policy compels large consumers to procure on-site renewables. The European solar tracker market size for C&I applications remains modest but is closing the gap as third-party ownership models offload capital from corporate balance sheets.

Tracker suppliers report that C&I represented 12-15% of their European shipments in fiscal 2025, up from the single-digit share seen two years earlier. Agrivoltaic hybrids straddle utility and C&I distinctions; many Italian vineyard projects fall into this category, coupling power sales with agricultural resilience. Financing hurdles persist for <10 MW arrays, but standard-form corporate PPAs and bundled storage offerings are unlocking new demand pockets.

Geography Analysis

Spain leads growth with a 26.5% CAGR forecast as its 3.8 GW auction pipeline converges with abundant irradiation. Germany retained 23.9% of 2025 revenue, aided by Solar-Package permitting reforms that shaved bureaucracy for ground-mount assets. Italy’s EUR 1.1 billion agrivoltaic incentives make it the top adopter of dual-axis systems among major markets.

France delivered 3.7 GW in 2024 but continues to battle protracted local-consultation requirements that elongate build timelines. The United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Nordic countries together added nearly 7 GW in 2024, yet keep tracker penetration below 25% because of wind engineering and planning constraints. Greece’s brownfield conversions, such as the 550 MW Ptolemaida plant, showcase how terrain-adaptive trackers open new geographic niches.

Rest-of-Europe markets, Portugal, Poland, Romania, and the Western Balkans, registered 4.2 GW of combined capacity in 2024. Price sensitivity and limited project-finance depth cap tracker uptake, but EU cohesion funds and cross-border PPA frameworks are gradually improving bankability. Grid reinforcement remains imperative: Spain’s EUR 6.5 billion upgrade plan and Italy’s 400 kV extensions are essential to translate theoretical yield gains into realizable revenue.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase