China vs Germany: Installed solar energy capacity
China
887.1 gigawatts
in 2024
Germany
89.94 gigawatts
in 2024
China rank
1st
Germany rank
4th
Installed solar energy capacity over time
- China
- Germany
How they compare
China currently reports 887.1 gigawatts against 89.94 gigawatts in Germany, a difference of 797.16 gigawatts.
That makes China's figure about 9.9 times Germany's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 25 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Germany ahead.
China ranks 1st and Germany ranks 4th of 218 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and Germany in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Germany | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.1439 gigawatts | 2.79 gigawatts | 2.65 gigawatts | Germany |
| 2010s | 68.94 gigawatts | 36.27 gigawatts | 32.67 gigawatts | China |
| 2020s | 490.18 gigawatts | 67.05 gigawatts | 423.13 gigawatts | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher installed solar energy capacity, China or Germany?
- China, at 887.1 gigawatts against 89.94 gigawatts in Germany as of 2024.
- What is the difference in installed solar energy capacity between China and Germany?
- 797.16 gigawatts, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Germany?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do China and Germany rank globally for installed solar energy capacity?
- China ranks 1st and Germany ranks 4th of 218 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- IRENA (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Installed solar energy capacity. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Total solar (on- and off-grid) electricity installed capacity, measured in gigawatts. This includes solar photovoltaic and concentrated solar power.