Solar is winning the energy race

Summary

Since the turn of the century, the expansion of solar power has surpassed expectations, more than any other energy source. Once extremely expensive and only used in remote regions, space travel or pocket calculators, today's solar modules — easy to set up and operate — generate cheap electricity all over the world. Global solar energy capacity has skyrocketed over the last decade: - 228 gigawatts in 2015, providing 1% of the world's electricity - 759 GW in 2020, or roughly 3% of global energy demand - 2,919 GW in 2025, according to estimates — solar now supplies about 10% of the world's energy, more than nuclear at 9% The energy source is still growing exponentially, and if it continues at current rates, global capacity could hit 9,000 GW by 2030 — enough to meet more than 20% of the world's energy demand. China leading the way China is first in the world when it comes to solar capacity, by far. The country installed 315 GW of new panels in 2025, according to the Chinese energy authority, bringing total capacity to around 1,300 GW. More than 80% of all solar panels are currently produced in China. Data from Taipei-based LowCarbonPower shows that 11% of China's electricity now comes from solar energy. Over the last decade, the share of highly polluting coal power has dropped from 70% to 56%. That's due in large part to the country's strong expansion in renewable energy, especially solar and wind. EU expanding solar grid The European Union, with 406 GW capacity, ranks second in the world when it comes to solar energy expansion. In the EU, solar energy covers roughly 13% of the bloc's electricity demand. Coal only meets 9%, a big drop from 2015, when it still generated a quarter of the EU's power. Leading the way in Europe are Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Hungary, each generating more than 20% of their electricity from solar. Even Germany, with fewer hours of sunlight, is at 18%. With its 119 GW, Germany is the European leader when it comes to installed solar modules, fol...