Solar (Utility) Energy: Global Electricity Generation 2025/2026

From July 2025 through June 2026, the supplied figures record around 980 TWh of utility-scale solar electricity across People's Republic of China and United States combined. This is not a complete global total: the dataset does not provide worldwide utility-scale solar generation, its share of global electricity consumption, or the historical figures needed to assess changes in either measure over the last decade. The available five-year comparison nevertheless shows substantial expansion in United States, where annual generation increased by about 234 TWh to 335 TWh—more than tripling over that period.

People's Republic of China leads the supplied country figures in total generation, producing almost twice as much utility-scale solar electricity as United States. United States leads the reported countries on national electricity share, at roughly 7% versus 6%, and on generation per person, at nearly 970 kWh compared with about 450 kWh. It also has the largest reported five-year addition, although no other country’s growth figure is supplied for comparison. Among US states, Texas leads in generation with around 68 TWh and produces over 2,100 kWh per person. California generates less, about 57 TWh, but utility-scale solar supplies almost one-fifth of its electricity, compared with roughly one-ninth in Texas. Florida adds another 27 TWh, supplying around 9% of its electricity. These contrasting leaders show that total output, electricity share and per-person generation capture different dimensions of solar’s progress.

Solar’s expansion offers a substantial climate advantage: the supplied IPCC lifecycle carbon intensity is 45 gCO2eq/kWh, compared with 820 gCO2eq/kWh for coal, 490 gCO2eq/kWh for gas and 650 gCO2eq/kWh for oil. That puts solar’s lifecycle emissions roughly 90–95% below those fossil-fuel sources. Wind, nuclear and solar all provide low-carbon electricity, supporting cleaner electricity systems while reducing reliance on fossil-fuel combustion and its associated air pollution. The substantial solar growth documented in United States illustrates the opportunity to expand clean electricity supply; further solar and nuclear development can help countries meet rising electricity demand from electrification and AI while advancing climate goals.