How many watts of solar energy are used in the south

The world currently has a cumulative solar energy capacity of 850.2 GW (gigawatts). 4.4% of our global energy comes from solar power. China generates more solar energy than any other country, with a current capacity of 308.5 GW. The US relies on solar for 3.9% of its energy, although this share is increasing rapidly every year.

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.

Over the past 30 years, global solar power capacity grew from about 2.6 gigawatts in 2003 to 1.6 terawatts in 2023, showing how fast the industry has expanded. The top five countries leading in solar power installations are China, the U.S., Vietnam, Japan, and Germany.

The latest 2021 annual statistics show that 3.9% of US electricity comes from solar power, up from 3.2% the previous year. Solar provided 0.95% of electricity in the US in 2015, and just 0.03% in 2010.

While the contribution of solar energy to global electricity production remains generally low at 3.6%, it has firmly established itself among other renewable energy technologies, comprising nearly 31% of the total installed renewable energy capacity in 2022 (IRENA, 2023).

Based on several indicators, the world's solar power consumption appears to be increasing. 2023 saw significant growth in solar energy, setting a production record at 346 GW. Of total renewable electricity capacity additions of 507 GW, nearly 75% came from solar PV additions.