China vs Germany: Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity
China
885.68 gigawatts
in 2024
Germany
89.94 gigawatts
in 2024
China rank
1st
Germany rank
4th
Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity over time
- China
- Germany
How they compare
China currently reports 885.68 gigawatts against 89.94 gigawatts in Germany, a difference of 795.74 gigawatts.
That makes China's figure about 9.8 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 194 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 | 0.0729 gigawatts | 2.79 gigawatts | 2.72 gigawatts | Germany |
| 2010s | 68.56 gigawatts | 36.27 gigawatts | 32.29 gigawatts | China |
| 2020s | 489.13 gigawatts | 67.05 gigawatts | 422.08 gigawatts | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity, China or Germany?
- China, at 885.68 gigawatts against 89.94 gigawatts in Germany as of 2024.
- What is the difference in solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity between China and Germany?
- 795.74 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 solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity?
- China ranks 1st and Germany ranks 4th of 194 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- IRENA (2025) – 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.