Frank Okon

Global solar power generation surged to an unprecedented level in 2025, rising by 636 terawatt-hours (TWh)—a 33% increase over 2024—to reach a record 2,778 TWh, according to the Ember Global Electricity Review 2026.

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The increase marks the largest annual expansion of solar energy ever recorded and signals a rapid acceleration in the global shift toward cleaner electricity. The additional 636 TWh alone is roughly equivalent to twice the United Kingdom’s total electricity demand, underscoring the sheer scale of growth. It also exceeded the energy equivalent of all liquefied natural gas exports through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025, estimated at about 550 TWh of gas-fired electricity.

Solar’s growth in 2025 far outpaced previous years, coming in 33% higher than 2024 levels and nearly double the gains seen in 2023. It also expanded faster than any other major power source—more than three times the growth of wind and nearly 18 times that of gas. Aside from the post-Covid coal rebound in 2021, it represents the largest single-year increase in electricity generation from any source in history.

For the first time, solar generation surpassed wind globally, cementing its position as a leading force in the power sector. Solar now accounts for 8.7% of global electricity generation, a sharp rise from just 1.1% in 2015. Over the past decade, solar output has increased nearly elevenfold and has been doubling approximately every three years. Notably, it provided about half of global electricity demand growth between 2023 and 2025.

The rapid expansion has been driven by a combination of falling costs and large-scale deployment. Solar panel prices have declined by around 90% since 2015, making the technology increasingly accessible across both developed and emerging economies. In 2025 alone, global solar installations reached a record 647 gigawatts (GW), with solar accounting for 68% of all renewable capacity additions between 2019 and 2024.

China remained the dominant driver of global solar growth, adding 336 TWh in 2025 and contributing more than half of the worldwide increase for the second consecutive year. Its total solar generation reached 1,175 TWh—exceeding the combined output of OECD countries and roughly three times that of the United States.

The United States recorded the second-largest increase, adding 85 TWh, largely from utility-scale solar projects. Solar met about 65% of the country’s electricity demand growth during the year. India ranked third, with a 53 TWh increase supported by record capacity additions of 38 GW across both utility-scale and rooftop systems.

Emerging markets are also accelerating. Pakistan stood out as one of the fastest-growing countries, adding 17 TWh in 2025—an 85% increase from the previous year. Solar’s share in Pakistan’s electricity mix has nearly tripled in three years, reaching 18.8%, driven mainly by distributed and off-grid installations. Overall, solar was the fastest-growing source of electricity in at least 23 countries.

Globally, solar penetration continues to rise across countries of all sizes. To rank among the top ten countries by solar share in 2025, a nation needed at least 17% of its electricity from solar, up from 13.5% in 2024. In total, 50 countries now generate more than 10% of their electricity from solar power, compared to just 15 countries in 2020 and none in 2015. Among larger electricity markets producing over 5 TWh of solar energy, 19 countries crossed this 10% threshold in 2025.

On a per capita basis, solar generation reached 338 kilowatt-hours in 2025, a 29% increase from the previous year. Australia remains the global leader by this measure, with rooftop solar installed in 43% of households.

Taken together, the figures highlight a clear and accelerating trend: solar power is rapidly moving from a fast-growing alternative to a central pillar of the global electricity system, with its share and influence set to expand even further in the years ahead.