Global Solar PV Installed Capacity 2025 — 2,383 GW
World solar photovoltaic installed capacity reached 2,383 GW at end-2025, with 510 GW added in a single year. China accounts for 50.4% of global capacity. This page presents cumulative capacity trends, top 10 countries, Europe and USA focus, annual additions, and segment breakdown. All data from IRENA Renewable Capacity Statistics 2026, H1 edition.
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1. World Solar PV Installed Capacity (2010–2025)
Global solar PV capacity grew from 40 GW in 2010 to 2,383 GW in 2025 — a 59-fold increase in 15 years. The growth has been exponential, with annual additions accelerating from 31 GW in 2011 to over 510 GW in 2025. Capacity doubled in just 2.3 years between end-2022 and end-2025.
Cumulative installed capacity (GW)
Source: IRENA Renewable Capacity Statistics 2026, H1 edition. On-grid + off-grid.
2. Top 10 Countries by Installed Capacity (2025)
China dominates with 1,200 GW — more than the next 9 countries combined (967 GW). The top 3 (China, USA, India) account for 65% of global capacity. European countries hold 3 of the top 10 spots (Germany, Spain, Italy).
Installed capacity (GW), end-2025
Source: IRENA 2026 H1. Values in GW (on-grid + off-grid).
3. Europe — Solar PV Capacity
Europe reached 405 GW of solar PV capacity at end-2025 (17% of global). The EU-27 alone has 365 GW. Europe’s growth has re-accelerated since 2020: capacity grew from 159 GW (2020) to 405 GW (2025), adding 246 GW in 5 years. Germany remains the clear leader at 106 GW, but Spain, Italy, and Poland have been growing fast.
Top European countries (GW, 2025)
| Country | GW |
|---|---|
| Germany | 106.3 |
| Spain | 44.9 |
| Italy | 41.2 |
| France | 31.2 |
| Netherlands | 25.9 |
| Poland | 25.4 |
| United Kingdom | 21.7 |
| Greece | 11.1 |
| Belgium | 10.4 |
| Austria | 10.3 |
Europe total capacity trend (GW)
Source: IRENA 2026 H1. “Europe” = geographic Europe including UK, Turkey, etc.
4. United States — Solar PV Capacity
The US reached 210 GW at end-2025, making it the world’s second-largest solar market. Growth has been strong and consistent: from 3 GW in 2010 to 74 GW in 2020, then nearly tripling to 210 GW by 2025. The IRA (Inflation Reduction Act, 2022) has significantly boosted deployment since 2023.
USA cumulative solar PV capacity (GW)
Source: IRENA 2026 H1. US total includes all segments (utility, C&I, residential).
6. Annual Solar PV Additions (2010–2025)
Annual solar PV additions have grown tenfold in a decade, from around 30–40 GW/year in 2011–2012 to over 510 GW in 2025. A major inflection occurred in 2023 when annual additions jumped from 192 GW (2022) to 364 GW — driven primarily by China. The 2025 figure of 510 GW represents more capacity added in one year than the entire global base in 2018.
Net capacity additions per year (GW)
Source: IRENA 2026 H1. Computed as year-over-year difference in cumulative capacity.
7. Segment Breakdown (2025)
IRENA reports four on-grid segment categories. However, a very large “n.e.s.” (not elsewhere specified) category of 1,398 GW exists, largely because China does not report detailed segment breakdowns to IRENA. The known segments (utility, C&I, residential) therefore cover only about 41% of total on-grid capacity.
On-grid capacity by segment (GW, 2025)
| Segment | GW | % |
|---|---|---|
| Utility-scale (>1 MW) | 551.6 | 23.3% |
| C&I distributed (30–1,000 kW) | 251.3 | 10.6% |
| Residential (<30 kW) | 172.3 | 7.3% |
| Not elsewhere specified (n.e.s.) | 1,397.6 | 58.9% |
| Total on-grid | 2,372.8 | 100% |
| + Off-grid | 10.3 | — |
Segment share (on-grid, 2025)
Note: “n.e.s.” is large because China and several other countries do not report segment-level data to IRENA.
8. Solar PV vs Wind Energy (2025)
Solar PV surpassed wind energy in global installed capacity around 2020 and the gap keeps widening. At end-2025, solar PV (2,383 GW) is 1.85× larger than wind (1,291 GW, of which 1,200 GW onshore and 91 GW offshore). Solar’s faster growth reflects lower per-MW costs, easier permitting for distributed solar, and shorter construction timelines.
Methodology & Data Notes
Source: IRENA — International Renewable Energy Agency, Renewable Capacity Statistics 2026, H1 edition (published March 2026). Data covers electrical capacity (MW) for all IRENA member states and territories.
Metric: Cumulative installed capacity at year-end, in megawatts (MW). Converted to gigawatts (GW) on this page for readability. “Solar photovoltaic” includes both on-grid and off-grid PV systems.
Segments: IRENA classifies on-grid solar PV into utility-scale (>1,000 kW), distributed C&I (30–1,000 kW), and residential (<30 kW). A large “n.e.s.” (not elsewhere specified) residual exists because several major countries (notably China) do not report segment-level breakdowns.
“Europe”: Geographic Europe per IRENA classification (includes UK, Turkey, etc.). EU-27 figures are also provided where available.
Annual additions: Computed as year-over-year difference in cumulative capacity. This includes decommissioning (net additions), so actual gross installations may be slightly higher.
Limitations: IRENA data relies on national reporting. Some countries report with a lag, and preliminary 2025 figures may be revised in the H2 edition. Segment breakdown coverage is incomplete (41% of on-grid capacity).