The world has reached a historic milestone of 3 TW of installed solar capacity, while Brazil has registered a 23% drop in new photovoltaic installations by 2025. This data comes from a report. Global Solar Market Outlook 2026-2030, from SolarPower Europe.
According to the study, solar energy will account for 77% of all renewable capacity added worldwide in 2025. Global photovoltaic generation reached 2.778 TWh, a volume equivalent to about 9% of the world's electricity demand.
The expansion has gained momentum in recent years. Global installed solar capacity has tripled in just four years and surpassed 3 TW in early 2026, less than two years after reaching the 2 TW mark.
However, the pace of new installations is expected to slow down, according to the study. After the addition of 664 GW in 2025, the projection is 612 GW in 2026, a reduction of 8%.
Brazil registers a drop in new installations.
In Brazil, 14,5 GWp of solar capacity were added in 2025, compared to 18,9 GWp in 2024, a drop of approximately 23%. As a result, the country lost one position in the world ranking of new installations, falling behind China, India, the United States, and Germany.
According to Rodrigo Sauaia, CEO of ABSOLAR (Brazilian Photovoltaic Solar Energy Association), despite the slowdown in new installations, the source maintains a significant share in the Brazilian electricity matrix.
“Currently, this energy source is the second largest in the country, with 74,3 GW in operation, equivalent to 27,4% of the national installed capacity. Since 2012, the sector has accumulated more than R$ 328,2 billion in investments and generated more than 2,2 million green jobs,” he states.
China accounts for more than half of the new installations.
China remained the world's leading photovoltaic market and added 382 GW of solar capacity by 2025, accounting for about 57% of all new global installations.
Next comes India, which added 45,7 GW, a 49% increase compared to the previous year. With this result, the country surpassed the United States and took second place among the largest solar energy markets in terms of new installations.
Global capacity could reach 6,6 TW.
Despite the projected contraction in 2026, forecasts indicate a return to growth in the coming years.
In SolarPower Europe's medium-term scenario, new annual installations could reach around 864 GW in 2030, bringing the world's cumulative solar capacity to approximately 6,6 TW by the end of the decade.
This means that even after surpassing the 3 TW mark, global photovoltaic capacity could more than double again by 2030.
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