Top 10 countries with most solar power installed 2024-25: India makes podium; beats Japan

The growth is striking. According to the Energy Institute’s Statistical Review of World Energy 2025, there are now 18,65,490 solar power installations worldwide in 2024–25. Since 2010, renewables and nuclear have helped the world avoid using 1,371 exajoules of fossil fuels and prevented the release of 109 gigatonnes of greenhouse gases; “170% more than were emitted in 2024.”

Just a few decades ago, in 1990, renewables made up only 3 per cent of the global energy mix. Since then, nations have worked hard to decarbonise, and renewable energy has grown faster than any other source. Since 2006, its growth has been over four times the global average increase in total energy demand, and in the past five years, that multiple has risen to five.

The Asia Pacific region, especially China, is leading this transformation. China alone accounted for nearly 60 per cent of renewable power additions in 2024, and was responsible for 43 per cent of avoided fossil fuel use, followed by Europe (21 per cent) and North America (20 per cent). With 887,930 MW of installed solar capacity, China tops the global list, followed by the US, India, and Japan.

India, meanwhile, is rapidly scaling up. With over 97 GW of installed solar capacity and an annual growth rate of 33.7 per cent, the country is blending large-scale solar farms with widespread rooftop systems. Its solar expansion is part of a broader mission to meet surging electricity needs, cut carbon emissions by 2030, and achieve net-zero status by 2070, an effort that reflects both ambition and urgency.

Top 10 countries with the most solar power installed