The following report from China Environment News provides a useful summary of China’s progress in solar power. As part of its bid to reach peak carbon consumption before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060, China is investing heavily in generating and installing solar power. It is now by far the global leader in solar capacity and production, and its enormous investment in this area has been the key factor in the cost of solar electricity decreasing by 85 percent since 2010.
The world is adopting renewable energy at an unprecedented pace, and solar power is the energy source leading the way.
Despite a 4.5% fall in global energy demand in 2020, renewable energy technologies showed promising progress. While the growth in renewables was strong across the board, solar power led from the front with 127 gigawatts installed in 2020, its largest-ever annual capacity expansion.
The Solar Power Leaderboard
From the Americas to Oceania, countries in virtually every continent (except Antarctica) added more solar to their mix last year. Below is a snapshot of solar power capacity by country at the beginning of 2021. Data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows solar power capacity by top 10 countries in 2021. This includes both solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power capacity.
Continue reading China has become the clear global leader in solar power generation