Solar panel statistics span installed capacity, electricity generation, household adoption, system prices, employment, investment and forecasts. The figures below distinguish observed results from estimates and projections, and distinguish capacity from electricity produced.
Key Solar Panel Statistics
The most useful figures in this dataset include:
- In 2024, 451.9 GW of solar photovoltaic capacity was added worldwide.
- In 2024, Asia added 327.1 GW of solar capacity.
- In 2024, China added 278.0 GW of solar capacity.
- In 2024, India added 24.5 GW of solar capacity.
- In 2024, the United States added 38.3 GW of solar capacity, 54.0% more than in 2023.
- In 2024, Brazil added 15.2 GW of solar capacity.
- In 2024, Germany added 15.1 GW of solar capacity.
- In 2024, off-grid renewable capacity rose by 1.7 GW to 14.3 GW, with solar supplying 1.6 GW of the increase.
- In 2025, U.S. utility-scale solar generated 296,000 GWh.
- In 2025, U.S. utility-scale solar generation grew 34% from 2024.
- In 2025, U.S. small-scale solar generated an estimated 93,000 GWh, 11% more than in 2024.
- In 2025, wind and utility-scale solar supplied 17% of U.S. electricity, versus less than 1% in 2005.
- Through 2023, about 4.1 million U.S. residential rooftop systems were covered by Berkeley Lab data, representing 87% of all systems.
- For 2023 installations, the median U.S. solar-adopter household income was about $115,000 per year.
- In 2023, the median U.S. residential distributed-PV installed price was about $4.2/W.
- In 2023, the median U.S. large non-residential distributed-PV installed price was about $2.3/W.
- From 2022 to 2023, U.S. solar electric-power-generation employment grew by 18,401 workers, or 5.3%.
- In 2024, global power-sector investment in solar PV was projected to exceed $500 billion.
- Through 2030, distributed applications are forecast to make almost 40% of global PV expansion.
- In 2030, renewable sources are forecast to provide 46% of global electricity, with wind and solar PV together at 30%.
Contents
- Key Solar Panel Statistics
- Global Solar Panel Deployment and Capacity
- Solar Electricity Generation and Grid Contribution
- Residential and Distributed Solar Adoption Data
- Solar Panel Costs, Prices and Investment
- Solar Manufacturing, Workforce and Economic Scale
- Solar Outlook Through 2030
Global Solar Panel Deployment and Capacity
IRENA recorded 451.9 GW of global solar photovoltaic additions in 2024. Asia accounted for 327.1 GW, including 278.0 GW in China and 24.5 GW in India; the United States added 38.3 GW, Brazil 15.2 GW and Germany 15.1 GW.
| Geography | Solar capacity added in 2024 |
|---|---|
| World | 451.9 GW |
| Asia | 327.1 GW |
| China | 278.0 GW |
| India | 24.5 GW |
| United States | 38.3 GW, 54.0% more than in 2023 |
| Brazil | 15.2 GW |
| Germany | 15.1 GW |
Source: Renewable Capacity Highlights 2025. These are capacity additions, not electricity generation; IRENA capacity is generally installed and connected at year-end.
Off-grid renewable capacity rose by 1.7 GW in 2024 to 14.3 GW, and solar supplied 1.6 GW of that increase. The total covers all off-grid renewables, while the 1.6 GW figure is solar.
Solar Electricity Generation and Grid Contribution
U.S. utility-scale solar generated 296,000 GWh in 2025, up 34% from 2024. EIA defines utility-scale generation as coming from facilities of at least 1 MW.
Small-scale solar generated an estimated 93,000 GWh in 2025, 11% more than in 2024. Combined wind and utility-scale solar supplied 17% of U.S. generation in 2025, compared with less than 1% in 2005; adding small-scale solar raised the combined wind-and-solar share to an estimated 19%.
| U.S. measure | 2025 result |
|---|---|
| Utility-scale solar generation | 296,000 GWh |
| Utility-scale solar change from 2024 | 34% growth |
| Small-scale solar generation | 93,000 GWh, estimated |
| Small-scale solar change from 2024 | 11% growth |
| Wind and utility-scale solar share | 17% of generation |
| Wind and solar including small-scale solar | 19% of generation, estimated |
| Wind and utility-scale solar output | 760,000 GWh, 88,000 GWh more than in 2024 |
Source: Wind and solar generated a record 17% of U.S. electricity in 2025. The 760,000 GWh total combines wind and utility-scale solar, and the small-scale series is estimated.
Residential and Distributed Solar Adoption Data
Berkeley Lab covered roughly 4.1 million U.S. residential rooftop systems installed through 2023, equal to 87% of all systems in its coverage. Its address-level analysis estimated median income for 2023 solar adopters at about $115,000, versus $94,000 for owner-occupied households.
| U.S. residential-adopter measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Systems covered through 2023 | Roughly 4.1 million |
| Share of all systems covered | 87% |
| Median adopter income, 2023 installations | About $115,000 per year |
| Owner-occupied comparison median | $94,000 per year |
| Adopters below 120% of area median income | About 49% |
| Adopters below 80% of area median income | About 26% |
| Median adopter income, 2010 installations | $141,000 in present-day dollars |
| Median adopter income, 2023 installations | $115,000 in present-day dollars |
| Median system size below $50,000 income | 6.4 kW |
Source: Residential Solar-Adopter Income and Demographic Trends: 2024 Update. The income figures are modeled from address-level data, AMI thresholds are location-specific, and the system-size figure describes observed adopter records rather than all households.
Solar Panel Costs, Prices and Investment
In 2023, the median U.S. residential distributed-PV installed price was about $4.2/W, compared with $3.2/W for small non-residential systems and $2.3/W for large non-residential systems. Residential median prices fell about $0.1/W in real terms from 2022 to 2023, while non-residential prices rose $0.1-$0.2/W, the first increase in 15 years.
| U.S. distributed-PV segment | Median installed price in 2023 |
|---|---|
| Residential | About $4.2/W |
| Small non-residential | About $3.2/W |
| Large non-residential | About $2.3/W |
Nominal installed prices rose $0.2-$0.3/W across U.S. distributed-PV segments during 2021-2023, while real residential prices fell roughly $0.5/W over the same period. Berkeley Lab describes these as self-reported installed prices; distributed systems include projects up to 5 MW AC.
Global power-sector investment in solar PV was projected to exceed $500 billion in 2024. This is an IEA projection, not a finalized ex-post total.
Source: Overview and key findings – World Energy Investment 2024.
Solar Manufacturing, Workforce and Economic Scale
U.S. solar electric-power-generation employment grew by 18,401 workers, or 5.3%, from 2022 to 2023. The DOE category is solar EPG employment, not every job in the broader solar economy.
| U.S. solar EPG category | Change from 2022 to 2023 |
|---|---|
| Total solar EPG employment | 18,401 workers, 5.3% |
| Construction | 5,318 jobs, 3% |
| Utility | 5,142 jobs, 50.5% |
| Professional and business services | 2,873 jobs, 5.3% |
| Manufacturing | 1,107 jobs, 2.5% |
Source: United States Energy and Employment Report 2024.
Solar Outlook Through 2030
The IEA forecasts annual global renewable additions to rise from 666 GW in 2024 to almost 935 GW in 2030. Solar PV and wind are expected to provide 95% of renewable-capacity additions through 2030, while utility-scale and distributed solar PV deployment is forecast to exceed three times the prior six-year level.
Distributed applications are forecast to make almost 40% of global PV expansion through 2030. This includes residential, commercial, industrial and off-grid projects.
| IEA forecast | 2030 outlook |
|---|---|
| Annual renewable additions | Almost 935 GW, versus 666 GW in 2024 |
| Solar PV and wind share of additions | 95% through 2030 |
| Utility-scale and distributed PV deployment | More than 3 times the 2017-2023 level |
| Distributed share of PV expansion | Almost 40% |
| Renewable share of global electricity | 46% |
| Wind and solar PV combined share | 30% of global generation |
| Global renewable generation | Above 17,000 TWh, almost 90% above 2023 |
| Countries reaching or surpassing existing 2030 renewable goals | 73 of 150 |
| Cumulative global renewable capacity | Almost 9,760 GW, 2.7 times 2022 |
Sources: Electricity – Renewables 2024 and Global overview – Renewables 2024. These are forecasts; the broader renewable-capacity and generation figures are not solar-only.