Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe, said: “The solar age is truly here. While the uptake of solar varies across regions across the world, a common theme is the importance of flexible, electrified energy systems – underpinned by critical technology like battery storage. Decisionmakers across the globe should ensure that their flexibility plans match, and maximise, the solar reality.”

While solar continues to grow globally, its distribution remains highly concentrated and uneven. In 2024, China alone added 329 GW of solar capacity – accounting for 55% of global installations. With adjustments in China’s market design in 2025, a temporary dip in global installations in 2026 appears likely.

This year’s special focus is India, recognising the third-largest solar market, which more than doubled its installations in 2024. A 145% annual market increase in India meant 30.7 GW of new solar was added in 2024, which is a stark uplift from the 12.5 GW installed in 2023. The country’s comprehensive solar strategy is positioning it as a major force in the energy transition, with strong growth projected in the coming years. To meet India’s ambitious national renewable installation target of 500 GW by 2030, the country aims to add another 200 GW of solar within the next five years.

Other regions contribute steady, albeit less significant growth, with the Americas and Europe growing by 40% and 15% respectively. Meanwhile, growth in Middle East and Africa faltered in 2024, with installations declining yeary/y.

Sonia Dunlop, CEO at the Global Solar Council, added: “It’s been 10 years since the GSC was established, and since then we’ve seen immense progress for solar – but this progress is not seen everywhere. Achieving the global target of tripling renewable energy capacity by the end of the decade is possible with solar, we need 1 TW of solar every year through 2030 and solar progress in more and more countries. That means action now to prepare for the future: smarter grids, faster permitting, bigger investments in emerging markets, and serious workforce planning.”

Accounting for the regional differences, the Global Solar Council has accompanied the analysis with a number of policy recommendations. More advanced markets must focus on enhancing grid flexibility, adapting policy frameworks to the needs of variable renewables, prioritising battery storage, and streamlining permitting and grid-connection processes. For least developed countries, the key lies in bridging investment gaps. Across all regions, developing a skilled workforce and setting ambitious solar and storage targets are essential tasks.

Markus Elsaesser, the CEO of Solar Promotion GmbH, commented: “Crossing the 2 TW mark is more than just a milestone – it is proof that solar energy has become a cornerstone of the global energy system. But this rapid growth also brings new challenges. We must now ensure that regulation and investment in a flexible and digital energy infrastructure advance just as quickly. Co-operation and knowledge sharing – across industries, regions, and sectors – are essential, as demonstrated every year at The smarter E Europe.”

Looking forward, the analysis extends through 2029 and includes a preliminary outlook for 2030. By the end of 2024, solar PV made up 46% of global renewable capacity, with 2.2 TW installed. By 2030, SolarPower Europe expects global installed solar PV capacity to exceed 7 TW by 2030. This would represent about 65% of the total renewable capacity required to meet the 11 TW global target.

For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.

Energy Global’s Spring 2025 issue

The first issue of 2025 is here! The Spring issue of Energy Global starts with a guest comment by Tim Reid from UK Export Finance about expanding operations overseas before a regional report from Aurora Energy Research no the effect of negative electricity prices in Europe. Other interesting topics covered in the issue include electrical infrastructure, sit surveys & mapping, developments in solar, and much more. Featuring contributions from key industry leaders such as EM&I, DeterTech, and Global Underwater Hub, among others, don’t miss the valuable insights available in the Spring 2025 issue.

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/solar/06052025/solarpower-europe-world-installed-600-gw-of-solar-in-2024-could-be-installing-1-twy-by-2030/