New analysis by the think tank Ember published on Thursday 19 September showed that the world is on course to reach 593 GW of solar installations by the end of the year, which is more than the entire global increase in coal-powered electricity generation capacity since 2010 (540 GW).
Despite significant growth in 2023, Ember estimates that 29% more solar capacity will be installed in 2024 than the previous year.
The number of solar installations in Europe is growing steadily. However, the pace is more modest than in previous years for some countries.
Italy, the EU’s third largest solar market in 2023, saw an increase of 41% between January and July 2024, while Germany and the UK saw more modest market growth of 11% over the same period, compared to between January and July 2023.
China, meanwhile, continued to install more than half of the world’s solar energy in 2024, on track to add 28% more solar capacity than in the previous year. At this rate, the country could reach 334 GW of total installed capacity.
According to the authors of the analysis, “the massive step up in solar capacity installations in 2023 and 2024 has shifted perceptions around solar’s role in the energy transition”.
They also believe that the ambitious climate pledges are now “within reach”.
However, the authors call for countries to ensure that they have sufficient grid capacity to transport electricity, as well as to develop battery storage capacity to supplement solar energy outside of the sunniest hours.
Read the analysis: https://aeur.eu/f/dio (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)