China vs India: Solar energy generation vs. capacity
China
1.17 million terawatt-hours
in 2025
India
168,582 terawatt-hours
in 2025
China rank
1st
India rank
3rd
Solar energy generation vs. capacity over time
- China
- India
How they compare
China currently reports 1.17 million terawatt-hours against 168,582 terawatt-hours in India, a difference of 1.00 million terawatt-hours.
That makes China's figure about 7.0 times India's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 55 shared years of data; in 1971 it was India ahead.
China ranks 1st and India ranks 3rd of 79 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | India | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1980s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1990s | 7.4 terawatt-hours | 2.53 terawatt-hours | 4.87 terawatt-hours | China |
| 2000s | 96.5 terawatt-hours | 28.8 terawatt-hours | 67.7 terawatt-hours | China |
| 2010s | 66,350 terawatt-hours | 13,814 terawatt-hours | 52,536 terawatt-hours | China |
| 2020s | 601,967 terawatt-hours | 108,265 terawatt-hours | 493,701 terawatt-hours | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher solar energy generation vs. capacity, China or India?
- China, at 1.17 million terawatt-hours against 168,582 terawatt-hours in India as of 2025.
- What is the difference in solar energy generation vs. capacity between China and India?
- 1.00 million terawatt-hours, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
- 55 years are reported by both, from 1971 to 2025.
- How do China and India rank globally for solar energy generation vs. capacity?
- China ranks 1st and India ranks 3rd of 79 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Solar energy generation vs. capacity. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Figures are based on gross generation and do not account for cross-border electricity supply.