GreenergyDaily

May. 22, 2025

Global electricity generation from solar farms is set to exceed output from nuclear reactors for the first time this summer, marking an important milestone in the continuing growth of solar power within global energy systems.

With solar now also set to exceed nuclear production for a spell, that leaves global hydro systems as the only other major clean power source that has yet to be eclipsed briefly by solar farms during the peak solar output period.

As of 2024, there was 1,866 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale solar generation capacity embedded in global electricity systems, according to data from energy think tank Ember.

That capacity footprint was 10 times more than what was in place in 2014, and was by far the largest capacity growth posted by all major power sources during that period.

In the decade since 2014, wind power posted the next largest capacity increase, by a factor of 3.2, while all other generation sources saw a less than doubling in installed capacity.

In terms of overall capacity, solar's total capacity was the third-highest among major power generation sources in 2024, trailing coal's 2,174 GW and natural gas' 2,055 GW, but exceeding the 1,283 GW of hydro and 1,132 GW of wind power.