World’s Largest Solar Energy Producers

Solar power is a clean, low-cost, and sustainable energy source found worldwide. In addition, solar energy is a limitless source of electricity because it comes from the sun.

As a result, solar energy helps the United States become energy independent while protecting the environment and creating jobs.

Solar energy utilization varies widely by country around the world. Solar photovoltaic capacity is represented by the numbers below.

Solar power capacity in the European Union (EU) is 131,700 MW, accounting for around 4.9 percent of the EU’s total energy consumption. Honduras has the most significant solar energy capacity percentage of total consumption (14.8%), followed by Israel (8.7%), barely ahead of Germany.

China, the US, and India are the countries that have installed the most significant solar PV capacity in the last year. 

So the ten countries that produce the most solar energy are as follows:

1. China 

China has the world’s most significant solar energy capacity of 205 GW, accounting for around 3.9 percent of the country’s total energy consumption. With over 35% of worldwide capacity, China is the unchallenged leader in solar installations.

Furthermore, there are no indicators that the country is slowing down. On the contrary, it is now developing the world’s most significant wind and solar project, which could add 400,000MW to its renewable energy capacity.

President Xi Jinping declared in 2020 that China’s goal is to be carbon neutral by 2060, and the government is working toward that goal.

China is a solar industry leader, and it appears that it has unlocked the code for the entire solar supply chain. Polysilicon, the first building block of silicon-based photovoltaic (PV) panels, was produced by Chinese companies 66 percent of the time in 2019.

In the same year, solar energy generated 223.8 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity. Furthermore, China produced more than three-quarters of solar cells and 72 percent of the world’s PV panels.

As a result, it’s no surprise that China has five of the world’s ten largest solar parks, and it’ll undoubtedly continue to create more as it moves toward carbon neutrality.

Despite being the world’s highest emitter, China’s huge energy needs can handle both the world’s largest coal and renewable fleets due to the sheer size of its economy.

2. United States

With 75,900 MW of total solar PV capacity, the United States ranks second among all countries in full solar PV capacity, accounting for around 2.8 percent of total US energy consumption. Currently, the United States has the solar power capacity to power 11 million homes.

In addition, the United States has the world’s second-largest installed solar capacity, with 76 GW providing 93.1 TWh of power. Over the last decade, annual solar growth in the United States has averaged 42 percent.

Solar investment tax credits, which provide a 26 percent tax credit on residential and commercial solar systems, have aided the industry’s growth. 

As the US intensifies its renewable energy initiatives and aims to decarbonize its electricity system by 2035, solar installations are expected to reach over 419 GW over the next decade.

The solar sector in the United States is dominated by utility-scale projects, with California, Texas, Florida, and Virginia among the most active states. In recent years, expansion has been aided by lower implementation costs and applicable tax credits.

3. Japan 

With 63,000 MW, Japan is the third-largest solar energy producer. Japan ranks third among countries with the most significant solar power capacity, with a fleet totaling 63.2 GW in 2019, generating 74.1 TWh of electricity.

Alternative energy sources such as solar and other renewables have grown in popularity after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, which caused Japan to reduce its nuclear energy activities. Feed-in-tariff (FiT) systems have been successful in Japan in incentivizing the deployment of solar technology.

However, the solar PV market is anticipated to decrease slightly in the following years. According to the IEA, PV additions in Japan will begin to decline in 2022, owing to the phaseout of the generous FiT plan for large-scale projects and undersubscribed capacity in earlier auctions.

Nonetheless, depending on government policy and cost reductions, installed solar power in Japan could reach 100 GW by 2025.

4. Germany

Germany has a capacity of 49,200 MW. With 8.6 percent of total energy consumption, Germany’s solar energy capacity is the third biggest globally. Japan’s is 7.6%, which is relatively high. In addition, Germany has the most PV watts per capita (595).

With a national fleet of roughly 49.2 GW, Germany is the leading country in Europe for solar deployments, providing 47.5 TWh of electricity.

Competitive auctions have helped the industry in recent years. The German government recently suggested raising its 2030 solar installation target to 100 GW as part of achieving a 65 percent renewable energy mix by the end of the decade.

In Germany, small-scale, private installations are prevalent, with government support mechanisms such as reimbursement for surplus generation incentivizing them. At the same time, utility-scale projects are likely to rise in the coming years.

The 187-megawatt (MW) Weesow-Willmersdorf facility north of Berlin is the country’s largest solar project to date.

5. India 

India has the world’s fifth-largest installed solar capacity, with 38 GW built in 2019 and 54 TWh produced. India’s energy demand is predicted to rise faster than any other region in the coming decades.

As the world’s third-largest carbon emitter, policies are being devised to transition the country away from coal and toward renewables. According to the data under current policy aspirations, solar is expected to account for around 31% of India’s energy mix by 2040, compared to less than 4% today.

The agency attributes this shift to India’s “exceptional cost-competitiveness of solar,” which “out-competes existing coal-fired electricity by 2030 even when supplemented with battery storage.”

6. Italy

Italy ranked sixth with a capacity of 21.6 GW. Italy has traditionally relied on imports for a substantial amount of its energy. Still, solar power output has grown fast in recent years, with more than 730,000 solar panels installed in the country.

The European Union established a goal for 11 countries to generate 20% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. Despite this lofty goal, Italy was the only one of the 11 countries to achieve it, and with plenty of time to spare.

Because of their remarkable success in the solar business, the Italian government has boosted its electricity generation targets from 72 TWh to 74 TWh and set an aggressive installed capacity target of 50 GW while only needing 30 GW to meet their initial aim of 72 TWh.

7. United Kingdom 

The largest 72 MW Solar Farm in the UK has over 13.5 gigawatts (GW) installed as of June 2021. In 2020, annual generation was a little less than 13 TWh (4.1 percent of UK electricity consumption).

The maximum output was less than 10 GW. Solar accounted for 28% of total renewable energy generation in the United Kingdom, dominated by the wind. Last year, the number of fossil fuels in the energy mix reached a new low of 37.7%.

In ordinary UK weather conditions, one kilowatt of panels will create between 700 and 900 units (kilowatt-hours, kWh) of power per year. As a result, a 3.5kW south-facing household system will generate around 3,000kWh per year.

Renewable energy produced 40.2 percent of the UK’s total power, accounting for roughly 6% of total UK energy demand.

8. Australia

In Australia, solar capacity increased from 8,625 MW to 13,250 MW. It is a 53.6 percent increase in capacity or 4,625 MW. Australia ranks first in solar power per capita due to its comparatively small population of 26 million people.

The Australian continent receives the most solar radiation of any continent, and solar PV systems are now installed on the roofs of over 30% of Australian residence. Solar power is a rapidly expanding business in Australia.

Australia’s over 2.96 million solar PV installations have a combined capacity of 23,466 MW photovoltaic (PV) solar electricity as of September 2021, with at least 4,117 MW installed in the previous 12 months.

In 2020-21, solar PV generated almost 10% of Australia’s electricity, making it the fastest-growing generation type in the country.

9. France

In terms of global photovoltaic solar power generation, France is behind China (32 percent), the United States (15 percent), Japan (11 percent), and Germany (2%). (8 percent ).

Although numbers have risen dramatically over the last ten years, they still account for a very modest percentage of French electricity generation – roughly 2%.

In terms of global photovoltaic solar power generation, France is behind China (32 percent), the United States (15 percent), Japan (11 percent), and Germany (2%). Solar electricity is inherently variable, which explains its sluggish development in France.

Meanwhile, universal hydro energy is gaining popularity, accounting for 47 percent of France’s renewable energy mix.

10. South Korea

In August, the South Korean government reported that solar power was responsible for 11.1 percent of the country’s electrical supply during peak hours from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The highest solar power generation was 94.6GWh in April, and the lowest was 46.4GWh in January. Solar power now accounts for 67 percent of installed capacity in South Korea. Biomass’ capacity as a renewable energy source nearly doubled to 834 MW in 2019, with 277 MW added this year.

The highest solar power generation was 94.6GWh in April, and the lowest was 46.4GWh in January.

Indeed, solar energy contribution ranged from 1.4 percent to 1.4 percent. Wind and solar energy sources produced only 3.8 percent of the country’s electricity in 2020, up from 1% in 2015.

Renewable energy now makes up only 6.4 percent of South Korea’s energy mix, the lowest among OECD members. The government wants renewable electricity to account for 20% of total electricity by 2030 and 42% by 2034.

Conclusion

Since the Industrial Revolution, fossil fuels have dominated the energy mix of most countries on the planet. This has far-reaching ramifications for both the global climate and human health.

Solar energy has several advantages, including the elimination of electric bills and the prevention of utility inflation. In addition, many states provide tax breaks, rebates, and credits for homeowners who install solar panels. 

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