Contents
- Global solar capacity statistics: worldwide PV capacity from 2016 to 2025
- Global solar capacity statistics by region: Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas
- Global solar capacity statistics: China’s cumulative lead and major country totals
- Global solar capacity statistics: annual installations and market growth
- Global solar capacity statistics: off-grid solar capacity trends
- global solar capacity: PV market segmentation and global solar deployment context
- Sources
Global solar capacity statistics: worldwide PV capacity from 2016 to 2025
Global solar capacity statistics include both cumulative capacity and installations during a particular year. Cumulative capacity is the reported stock at a point in time; annual installations are new capacity recorded over a calendar year. IRENA’s worldwide solar photovoltaic series reports cumulative capacity in megawatts at each year-end. It records 293,159 MW at the end of 2016, 386,711 MW at the end of 2017, 481,485 MW at the end of 2018, and 583,393 MW at the end of 2019. The sequence continues with 714,728 MW at the end of 2020, 859,674 MW at the end of 2021, 1,051,471 MW at the end of 2022, 1,415,161 MW at the end of 2023, 1,872,813 MW at the end of 2024, and 2,383,162 MW at the end of 2025.
| Year-end | Global cumulative solar PV capacity |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 293,159 MW |
| 2017 | 386,711 MW |
| 2018 | 481,485 MW |
| 2019 | 583,393 MW |
| 2020 | 714,728 MW |
| 2021 | 859,674 MW |
| 2022 | 1,051,471 MW |
| 2023 | 1,415,161 MW |
| 2024 | 1,872,813 MW |
| 2025 | 2,383,162 MW |
Source: IRENA, Renewable capacity statistics 2026, “Solar photovoltaic” table, World row, 2016–2025.
The reported stock rises in every successive year in the series. It increases from 293,159 MW at year-end 2016 to 1,051,471 MW at year-end 2022, then to 2,383,162 MW at year-end 2025. These are readings of the stated series, not annual additions: a year-end total includes capacity accumulated earlier as well as capacity added during that year.
The unit and measure labels matter when comparing this series with annual market reports. IRENA’s table is labeled CAP (MW), while IEA PVPS reports annual market estimates in GW or GWp. The figures retain their source units below. A cumulative year-end stock and an annual installation flow describe different things, even where both sources report solar PV capacity. IRENA supplies the continuous year-end stock series used here; IEA PVPS provides a preliminary view of annual market activity and selected market segments.
Source: IRENA, Renewable capacity statistics 2026, “Solar photovoltaic” table, World row, 2016–2025.
Global solar capacity statistics by region: Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas
IRENA’s year-end 2025 regional figures show the distribution of cumulative PV capacity across the regions named in its table. Asia is listed at 1,528,220 MW. Europe’s total is 405,417 MW, and North America’s is 228,974 MW. The same table reports South America at 82,854 MW, Oceania at 42,435 MW, and Africa at 21,003 MW.
| Region in IRENA table | Cumulative solar PV capacity at end of 2025 |
|---|---|
| Asia | 1,528,220 MW |
| Europe | 405,417 MW |
| North America | 228,974 MW |
| South America | 82,854 MW |
| Oceania | 42,435 MW |
| Africa | 21,003 MW |
Source: IRENA, Renewable capacity statistics 2026, “Solar photovoltaic” regional rows, 2025 column.
Asia is the largest listed region in these observations, while Africa is the smallest. The source presents North America and South America as separate rows; “the Americas” is therefore not one combined figure here. Oceania is part of the reported regional set as well. Retaining the source’s labels makes the scope of each comparison clear without combining geographies.
All six numbers are cumulative capacity at year-end, measured in MW. They are not annual additions or electricity-generation totals. The observations provide a regional snapshot for 2025, not a region-by-region annual installation series. They support comparison of the listed regional stocks at one point in time, but do not establish which region added capacity fastest over a period or generated more electricity.
Source: IRENA, Renewable capacity statistics 2026, “Solar photovoltaic” regional rows, 2025 column.
Global solar capacity statistics: China’s cumulative lead and major country totals
IRENA reports selected country totals for year-end 2025 in MW and attaches source-status markers to some entries. Its table lists China at 1,200,359 MW (u), India at 135,159 MW (u), Germany at 106,272 MW (u), Japan at 92,211 MW (o), the United States at 210,130 MW (o), Australia at 41,065 MW (o), and Brazil at 64,692 MW (u). In the table, “u” identifies unofficial values and “o” identifies official values. These markers qualify the reported values and should be kept with them when interpreting the country comparison.
IEA PVPS presents a separate 2025 cumulative ranking in GW. It reports China at 1,463.5 GW*, the European Union at 406.0 GW, the United States at 268.2 GW, India at 180.5 GW, Germany at 117.3 GW, Japan at 102.7 GW, Brazil at 66.0 GW, Spain at 59.0 GW, and Pakistan at 52.2 GW*. The European Union entry groups 27 countries. Asterisks mark preliminary assessments higher than official reporting for China and Pakistan, according to the table’s notes.
| IEA PVPS 2025 cumulative ranking entry | Cumulative PV capacity |
|---|---|
| China | 1,463.5 GW* |
| European Union (27 countries) | 406.0 GW |
| United States | 268.2 GW |
| India | 180.5 GW |
| Germany | 117.3 GW |
| Japan | 102.7 GW |
| Brazil | 66.0 GW |
| Spain | 59.0 GW |
| Pakistan | 52.2 GW* |
Source: IEA PVPS, A Snapshot of Global PV Markets 2026, Table 1, cumulative capacity column.
China is the largest country entry in both reports’ selected data, but the two values should not be collapsed into a single number. IRENA gives 1,200,359 MW and marks the value unofficial; IEA PVPS gives 1,463.5 GW and marks its entry as a preliminary assessment above official reporting. The table conventions and reporting-status notes are part of the comparison, alongside the differing units. The values are reproduced as reported, rather than converted or reconciled.
The lists also contain an aggregate and country entries. The European Union’s 406.0 GW is for 27 countries, not a single country. The remaining entries in the IEA PVPS ranking are country totals. Both tables concern cumulative capacity in 2025, while their reporting approaches and qualifications differ. IRENA’s selected country rows include official and unofficial markers; IEA PVPS describes its snapshot as preliminary and flags the China and Pakistan entries in its cumulative ranking.
Sources: IRENA, Renewable capacity statistics 2026, “Solar photovoltaic” country rows, 2025 column; IEA PVPS, A Snapshot of Global PV Markets 2026, Table 1, cumulative capacity column.
Global solar capacity statistics: annual installations and market growth
Annual installation estimates describe new PV capacity reported for a calendar year, not the cumulative stock at year-end. IEA PVPS estimates global annual installations at 698 GWp in 2025. That preliminary total comprises at least 608 GWp of new capacity installed, plus a further possible 90 GWp identified through expert estimates. The report notes uncertainty in those expert-derived volumes. For comparison, its stated range for 2024 global installations is 554.1 GW to 602.2 GW; that range is distinct from the 2025 estimate and its qualifications.
IEA PVPS reports annual market growth of 93% in 2023, 28% in 2024, and 16% in 2025. These rates refer to the report’s annual installation series, not to the year-end cumulative-capacity series. The report also estimates that nearly 40 countries installed at least 1 GW of PV during 2025 and states that 14 countries installed more than 4 GW that year. These country counts describe the breadth of the annual market in the report’s estimates.
China accounted for around 60% of new annual capacity in 2025, compared with a reported 59% share in 2024. IEA PVPS gives a range for China’s own annual additions in 2025: at least 349.8 GW based on official reporting, with a possible maximum of 415 GW. The upper estimate includes a further 65.2 GW that may have been installed. The report links this range to estimates of inverter load ratio, or AC-to-DC conversion ratio. It is an estimate range, not one confirmed installation total.
For other major markets, IEA PVPS reports that the European Union installed 65.7 GW in 2025, up from 64.4 GW in 2024. India installed 55.9 GW in 2025, and the United States installed 43.2 GW. These figures describe annual installations, unlike the cumulative country totals above. The EU is an aggregate of countries; the India and US figures refer to their respective country markets.
Together, the annual observations show a report-specific pattern: the stated growth rate eased from 93% in 2023 to 28% in 2024 and 16% in 2025, while the preliminary 2025 installation estimate remained large and included an uncertain expert-derived component. The reported growth rates, total estimate, and 2024 range have different statistical forms, so each should be read with its own period and qualification. They do not replace the cumulative stock series.
Source: IEA PVPS, A Snapshot of Global PV Markets 2026, Executive Summary and sections 1.1–1.2.
Global solar capacity statistics: off-grid solar capacity trends
IRENA publishes a separate series for off-grid solar photovoltaic capacity. Its scope is explicitly off-grid PV, so the values should be distinguished from the worldwide solar PV stock series. The year-end global totals are 2,992.886 MW in 2018, 3,288.475 MW in 2019, 4,094.240 MW in 2020, and 4,745.792 MW in 2021. The reported values continue at 5,612.935 MW in 2022, 6,574.192 MW in 2023, 8,793.615 MW in 2024, and 10,336.379 MW in 2025.
| Year-end | Global cumulative off-grid solar PV capacity |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 2,992.886 MW |
| 2019 | 3,288.475 MW |
| 2020 | 4,094.240 MW |
| 2021 | 4,745.792 MW |
| 2022 | 5,612.935 MW |
| 2023 | 6,574.192 MW |
| 2024 | 8,793.615 MW |
| 2025 | 10,336.379 MW |
Source: IRENA, Renewable capacity statistics 2026, “Off-grid Solar photovoltaic” table, World row, 2018–2025.
The reported off-grid stock increases in each year shown. The table does not supply annual additions for this observation set, so the changes between year-end entries are not presented as independently reported annual installation values. It also does not specify the system types, uses, or geographic distribution behind the global off-grid total. Its evidence is the separate capacity series and its off-grid scope.
The distinction between this table and the worldwide series is a matter of scope and labeling. Both are cumulative capacity series, reported in MW at year-end, but one is specifically titled “Off-grid Solar photovoltaic.” That definition should stay attached to the figures. These entries alone do not explain the applications or locations that make up the off-grid total, and they do not provide a breakdown by region or type of system.
Source: IRENA, Renewable capacity statistics 2026, “Off-grid Solar photovoltaic” table, World row, 2018–2025.
global solar capacity: PV market segmentation and global solar deployment context
IEA PVPS separates annual global installations into centralised and distributed PV segments. It reports total installations of 471 GW in 2023, 602 GW in 2024, and 698 GW in 2025. For the 2024–2025 comparison, centralised installations increased from 369 GW to 410 GW, while distributed PV installations moved from 233 GW to 286 GW.
| Global annual PV installations | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total installations | 602 GW | 698 GW |
| Centralised PV | 369 GW | 410 GW |
| Distributed PV | 233 GW | 286 GW |
Source: IEA PVPS, A Snapshot of Global PV Markets 2026, section 1.3, “Market Segmentation”.
The segmentation supplies context for deployment by grouping annual installations into centralised and distributed categories. These are annual flows, not cumulative stocks. The report provides total installations for 2023, but the segment comparison presented here covers 2024 and 2025; no segment values for 2023 are included. The table preserves the reported values and does not derive additional shares or growth rates.
Read together, the statistics provide several distinct views of global solar deployment: IRENA’s worldwide and regional year-end capacity stocks, its separately reported off-grid stock series, and IEA PVPS estimates of annual installations, country activity, and market segments. Keeping each figure attached to its period, unit, population, and source qualification makes those views comparable within their stated scope. Cumulative stocks describe installed capacity at a point in time; annual installation measures describe capacity added during a calendar year.
Source: IEA PVPS, A Snapshot of Global PV Markets 2026, section 1.3, “Market Segmentation”.