Chile vs South Africa: Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity
Chile
12.03 gigawatts
in 2025
South Africa
10.65 gigawatts
in 2025
Chile rank
19th
South Africa rank
22nd
Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity over time
- Chile
- South Africa
How they compare
Chile currently reports 12.03 gigawatts against 10.65 gigawatts in South Africa, a difference of 1.38 gigawatts.
That makes Chile's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 14 shared years of data; in 2012 it was South Africa ahead.
Chile ranks 19th and South Africa ranks 22nd of 199 countries.
Across the 2 decades both report, Chile averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Chile | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 1.09 gigawatts | 1.32 gigawatts | 0.238 gigawatts | South Africa |
| 2020s | 7.71 gigawatts | 6.45 gigawatts | 1.26 gigawatts | Chile |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity, Chile or South Africa?
- Chile, at 12.03 gigawatts against 10.65 gigawatts in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity between Chile and South Africa?
- 1.38 gigawatts, with Chile ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Chile and South Africa?
- 14 years are reported by both, from 2012 to 2025.
- How do Chile and South Africa rank globally for solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity?
- Chile ranks 19th and South Africa ranks 22nd of 199 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- IRENA (2026) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Solar photovoltaic (on-grid) electricity installed capacity, measured in gigawatts.