Germany vs Japan: Solar energy generation vs. capacity
Germany
91,591 terawatt-hours
in 2025
Japan
110,787 terawatt-hours
in 2025
Germany rank
5th
Japan rank
4th
Solar energy generation vs. capacity over time
- Germany
- Japan
How they compare
Japan currently reports 110,787 terawatt-hours against 91,591 terawatt-hours in Germany, a difference of 19,196 terawatt-hours.
That makes Japan's figure about 1.2 times Germany's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Japan ahead.
Germany ranks 5th and Japan ranks 4th of 79 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Germany averaged higher in 2 and Japan in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Germany | Japan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.7 terawatt-hours | 61.56 terawatt-hours | 54.86 terawatt-hours | Japan |
| 2000s | 1,910 terawatt-hours | 1,534 terawatt-hours | 376.13 terawatt-hours | Germany |
| 2010s | 32,870 terawatt-hours | 31,312 terawatt-hours | 1,558 terawatt-hours | Germany |
| 2020s | 65,416 terawatt-hours | 92,473 terawatt-hours | 27,057 terawatt-hours | Japan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher solar energy generation vs. capacity, Germany or Japan?
- Japan, at 110,787 terawatt-hours against 91,591 terawatt-hours in Germany as of 2025.
- What is the difference in solar energy generation vs. capacity between Germany and Japan?
- 19,196 terawatt-hours, with Japan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and Japan?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do Germany and Japan rank globally for solar energy generation vs. capacity?
- Germany ranks 5th and Japan ranks 4th 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.