Key Takeaways
- China uses the most solar energy and also produces the most solar panels in the world.
- The United States is the second largest producer of solar energy and is rapidly growing its solar manufacturing capabilities.
- In terms of watts of solar capacity per capita, the Netherlands leads the pack, followed by Australia.
China leads the world in solar power generation, with 609,921 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity as of December 2023. That is more than four times the amount of solar installed than the second place United States, but both countries have about the same number of installed watts per person because China’s population is so much greater.
The rest of the top 10 include Japan, India, and Australia, alongside European countries like Germany, Italy, Spain, and The Netherlands, all of which have high demand for renewable energy. Not shown on this list are France, the United Kingdom, and Poland, which are 12th, 14th, and 15th in the world in terms of installed capacity. South Korea (11th place) and Vietnam (13th) round out the top 15.
Countries the use the most solar energy
| Country | Solar Generation Capacity (MW) | Population | Watts Per Person | Estimated Solar Energy Generation |
| China | 609,921 | 1,410,710,000 | 432 | 664,439 |
| United States | 139,205 | 334,914,895 | 416 | 227,711 |
| Japan | 89,077 | 124,516,650 | 715 | 96,981 |
| Germany | 81,739 | 84,482,267 | 968 | 96,453 |
| India | 73,109 | 1,428,627,663 | 51 | 96,981 |
| Brazil | 37,449 | 216,422,446 | 173 | 44,225 |
| Australia | 32,612 | 26,638,544 | 1,224 | 39,160 |
| Spain | 31,016 | 48,373,336 | 641 | 43,304 |
| Italy | 29,795 | 58,761,146 | 507 | 34,129 |
| Netherlands | 23,904 | 17,879,488 | 1,337 | 20,829 |
Solar energy per capita
When looking at the number of watts per capita, The Netherlands comes in first, with 1,337. That’s more than three 400-watt solar panels per person! But the amount of electricity generated from solar in the Netherlands is much lower than in other countries because the country experiences much less sun overall.
These numbers illustrate the difference between power and energy. All solar panels are able to generate a certain amount of power under full sun, but the amount of energy they produce over time depends on the total amount of sunlight they receive. Solar panels are more effective in sunnier places on the Earth.
Where is Solar Energy Most Effective?
Solar radiation produced from the sun’s energy is abundant in most places on Earth, but some locations are more suitable for solar power generation than others. Solar installations have higher electricity production in places where the sun shines all year long, such as in deserts and high plateaus.
Some of the countries with the most sunlight are on the top 10 solar capacity list, such as Australia and India, but there is huge potential in Africa and South America to grow solar generation.
US States that use the most solar energy
| State | Installed Solar Capacity (MWh) |
| California | 38,565 |
| Texas | 21,310 |
| Florida | 12,449 |
| North Carolina | 7,267 |
| Arizona | 7,201 |
| Nevada | 6,179 |
| New York | 5,293 |
| Georgia | 4,603 |
| Massachusetts | 4,286 |
| Virginia | 4,647 |
In the United States, California is the leader in installed solar energy capacity, with 38,565 megawatts (MW) as of August 2024. Solar capacity in Texas is growing quickly, and despite being known for wind energy, the state may overtake California in solar capacity in the next two years.
As the table shows, most solar generating capacity is located in very sunny states, but places like New York and Massachusetts are on the list because of state policies that encourage the development of renewable energy sources like solar projects.
The data used in the table above includes numbers for solar thermal and solar PV capacity from both large-scale power plants and small-scale power system installations. The top four states for solar capacity (California, Texas, Florida, and North Carolina) have more capacity together than all other states combined.
