A record 664 GW of solar PV capacity was installed in 2025, as solar PV remained the backbone of global renewable energy expansion, accounting for 77 per cent of all renewable capacity additions, while solar electricity generation reached 2,778TWh, covering around 9 per cent of global demand.

The total global solar fleet crossed the 3TW milestone in early 2026, tripling in just four years but the global solar market continues to be heavily concentrated in a small number of countries. China installed 382GW in 2025, accounting for 57 per cent of global installations. At the same time, India became the world’s second-largest solar market, installing 45.7GW, surpassing the US.

However, according to figures in SolarPower Europe’s Global Solar Market Outlook 2026-2030, following extraordinary growth peaks in recent years, market growth slowed to 12 per cent last year, signalling a shift in market dynamics. As solar continues to expand globally, the report also forecasts a temporary decline in installations in 2026, before growth is expected to resume in 2027.

Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe said: “The slowdown in growth we observed in 2025 and the expected dip in 2026 are important signals highlighting a new reality: scaling solar is no longer just about deploying more capacity but about how well it can be integrated into the system.”

In a growing number of markets, deployment is increasingly constrained by system integration challenges, from grid congestion to curtailment and negative price signals.

Despite the expected dip in 2026, the long-term outlook for solar remains robust, with annual installations are projected to reach around 864GW by 2030, while total global capacity is expected to grow to 6.6TW.

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