Solar power around the world

In 2025, solar power made 8.8% of the world's electricity, 2,780 TWh, up from 3.2% in 2020. That was 3.3 times as much electricity as in 2020. In 2000 its share was almost none.

Solar panels turn sunlight into electricity, on rooftops and in solar farms. They give off no carbon dioxide while they run, and they make electricity only in daylight, so their output follows the sun.

The countries that made the most electricity from solar power were China (1,180 TWh), the United States (389 TWh) and India (196 TWh). Namibia relied on it most: 35% of its electricity in 2024.

Over the five years to each country's latest figures, the share of electricity from solar power rose most in North Macedonia (from under 1% to 31%), Lebanon (from 1% to 30%) and Hungary (from 7% to 27%).

See the same figures for any region, with a chart you can read year by year, on the dashboard's World tab.

The world's share over time

By region in 2025

Biggest rises in five years

Each country's share of electricity from solar power five years before its latest figures, in its latest full year (2025 unless shown), and the rise in percentage points: from 3% to 21% is a rise of 18 points.

Other energy sources

• Wind power
• Hydropower
• Nuclear power
• Gas power
• Coal power
• Oil and other fossil fuels
• Bioenergy
• Geothermal and other renewables

Every energy source compared · Every country

Source: Ember yearly electricity data (CC BY 4.0), figures up to 2025; Ember's latest-year figures are first estimates and may be revised. Countries are compared on their latest full year. Amounts for countries are worked out from each country's total and its share, rounded to three significant figures; changes over five years use whole percentages. TWh: terawatt hours (one billion kWh).