Solar electricity generation — all countries

Solar electricity generation — World

Solar electricity generation in the world in 2024 — 2,135.9 TWh. Since 2000, the indicator has risen by 209,302%.

2024 2,135.9 TWh +28.81% vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 2,135.9 TWh2024
Period minimum 1.02 TWh2000

Trend over time

2000–2024 · terawatt-hours

Solar electricity generation — World, 2000–202401,0002,0003,0002000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 1.02 TWh2001: 1.36 TWh2002: 1.72 TWh2003: 2.11 TWh2004: 2.78 TWh2005: 3.95 TWh2006: 5.42 TWh2007: 7.29 TWh2008: 11.85 TWh2009: 19.82 TWh2010: 32.21 TWh2011: 63.56 TWh2012: 96.92 TWh2013: 131.75 TWh2014: 197.74 TWh2015: 256.01 TWh2016: 327.47 TWh2017: 444.65 TWh2018: 575.16 TWh2019: 697.92 TWh2020: 853.36 TWh2021: 1,053.95 TWh2022: 1,332.96 TWh2023: 1,658.15 TWh2024: 2,135.9 TWh
Change over the period: +2,134.88 (+209,301.96%) Average annual rate: 37.52 %

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: World

World 2,135.9 TWh
World computed 2,135.9 TWh
Solar electricity generation — World, by year World All countries CSV XLSX
Year TWh Change Change, %
2024 2,135.9 +477.75 +28.81%
2023 1,658.15 +325.19 +24.4%
2022 1,332.96 +279.01 +26.47%
2021 1,053.95 +200.59 +23.51%
2020 853.36 +155.44 +22.27%
2019 697.92 +122.76 +21.34%
2018 575.16 +130.51 +29.35%
2017 444.65 +117.18 +35.78%
2016 327.47 +71.46 +27.91%
2015 256.01 +58.27 +29.47%
2014 197.74 +65.99 +50.09%
2013 131.75 +34.83 +35.94%
2012 96.92 +33.36 +52.49%
2011 63.56 +31.35 +97.33%
2010 32.21 +12.39 +62.51%
2009 19.82 +7.97 +67.26%
2008 11.85 +4.56 +62.55%
2007 7.29 +1.87 +34.5%
2006 5.42 +1.47 +37.22%
2005 3.95 +1.17 +42.09%
2004 2.78 +0.67 +31.75%
2003 2.11 +0.39 +22.67%
2002 1.72 +0.36 +26.47%
2001 1.36 +0.34 +33.33%
2000 1.02

About the indicator

Electricity generated by solar plants over the year, in terawatt-hours. The absolute figure answers a different question than the share: a country with a small solar share but a huge power system generates more of it than the leader by share. China produces more solar electricity than all of Europe, though dozens of countries beat it on share. The series is also convenient because it shows the real contribution to displacing fuel: the share rises even when total generation falls.

Important: Generation rather than installed capacity: solar runs at a capacity factor of about 15%, so gigawatts of capacity and terawatt-hours of output do not map onto each other directly. The series starts in 2000.

Source: Yearly Electricity Data (Ember), license CC BY 4.0.