China vs Germany: Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity
China
1,200 gigawatts
in 2025
Germany
107.19 gigawatts
in 2025
China rank
1st
Germany rank
4th
Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity over time
- China
- Germany
How they compare
China currently reports 1,200 gigawatts against 107.19 gigawatts in Germany, a difference of 1,093 gigawatts.
That makes China's figure about 11.2 times Germany's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 26 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Germany ahead.
China ranks 1st and Germany ranks 4th of 199 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 | 36.89 gigawatts | 31.68 gigawatts | China |
| 2020s | 607.59 gigawatts | 74.8 gigawatts | 532.79 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 1,200 gigawatts against 107.19 gigawatts in Germany as of 2025.
- What is the difference in solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity between China and Germany?
- 1,093 gigawatts, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Germany?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2025.
- How do China and Germany rank globally for solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity?
- China ranks 1st and Germany ranks 4th 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.