Key takeaways –
China uses the most solar power globally, generating over 224 GWh of electricity using just solar, with a projected 370 kWh of installed solar by 2024. Government incentives are the largest driver of solar power and many countries are embracing a renewable energy transition to enhance their economies for a post-COVID world. Solar installations are becoming cheaper and are expected to increase in both residential and commercial U.S. markets – with the potential of 1 solar installation per minute in the US by 2024.
Ana is a content specialist at SolarReviews. She uses her experience in marketing and knowledge from her master’s in climate communications to research and review the solar industry.
Contents
Which countries use solar energy the most?
Which countries have the most installed solar PV? – Solar energy is used all around the planet, but currently, China, Japan, and the United States lead the world in terms of total installed solar capacity. Here are the top ten countries ranked in terms of total installed solar in megawatts (MW):
Where is solar power used?
Solar power is a renewable and clean energy source that is expanding exponentially throughout the United States and the world. In 2020, the world installed 260 GW of solar power, and the 2021 numbers are expected to be even more exciting (they are not available yet as of this writing, January 2022).
How much solar electricity is generated in the world each year?
According to EIA’s International Energy Statistics, total world solar electricity generation grew from 0.4 billion kWh in 1990 to about 842 billion kWh in 2020. The top five producers of solar electricity and their percentage shares of world total solar electricity generation in 2020 were:
Where does it make more sense to use solar energy?
Where are solar energy resources located? – 
Image source: Global Solar Atlas Solar radiation produced from the sun’s energy is in abundance all over the globe, but some locations are more suitable for solar PV panels than others. For example, it makes more sense to utilize the sun’s power in places where the sun shines all year long, such as in deserts.
