Solar power worldwide statistics

How much solar energy does the world use?

The world currently has a cumulative solar energy capacity of 850.2 GW (gigawatts). 4.4% of our global energy comes from solar power. China generates more solar energy than any other country, with a current capacity of 308.5 GW. The US relies on solar for 3.9% of its energy, although this share is increasing rapidly every year.

How many people are employed in solar energy?

3,975,096 people are employed in the solar industry worldwide, and 263,883 of these are in the United States. The solar energy industry created more new jobs in the US than any other energy subsector last year. It would take around 18.5 billion solar panels to produce enough energy to power the entire US. What is the capacity of solar energy?

Which country has the highest solar energy capacity in the world?

China has the highest cumulative solar energy capacity in the world. The IEA measures China’s current capacity at 308.5 GW. The US is next with 123 GW of solar capacity. Japan has 78.2GW. China also installed the most additional solar in 2021, increasing its cumulative capacity by 54.9 GW.

How many gigawatts of solar power are there in China?

Only in that last year, installations increased by almost 40 percent. In 2023, cumulative solar PV capacity reached some 649 gigawatts in China alone. Investments in solar photovoltaic energy has grown during the last years and the technology remains one of the most heavily funded renewable sources.

Which countries have the most solar PV installed capacity in 2022?

In 2022, the most significant expansion in the solar PV market occurred in China, the US, and India, with increments of 86.1 GW, 17.8 GW, and 13.5 GW, respectively (IRENA, 2023). Fig. 2 shows the contribution of each continent in the world's solar PV installed capacity in 2018, followed by 2030 and 2050 based on IRENA’s REmap analysis.

What is the contribution of solar energy to global electricity production?

While the contribution of solar energy to global electricity production remains generally low at 3.6%, it has firmly established itself among other renewable energy technologies, comprising nearly 31% of the total installed renewable energy capacity in 2022 (IRENA, 2023).