South Africa vs Switzerland: Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity

South Africa
8.45 gigawatts
in 2024
Switzerland
7.76 gigawatts
in 2024
South Africa rank
23rd
Switzerland rank
24th

Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity over time

  • South Africa
  • Switzerland
02468200020122024

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 8.45 gigawatts against 7.76 gigawatts in Switzerland, a difference of 0.69 gigawatts.

That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Switzerland's.

The two have swapped places 5 times across 15 shared years of data; in 2010 it was Switzerland ahead.

South Africa ranks 23rd and Switzerland ranks 24th of 194 countries.

Across the 2 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 1 and Switzerland in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Africa Switzerland Difference Ahead
2010s 1.06 gigawatts 1.19 gigawatts 0.1357 gigawatts Switzerland
2020s 5.61 gigawatts 4.95 gigawatts 0.6611 gigawatts South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity, South Africa or Switzerland?
South Africa, at 8.45 gigawatts against 7.76 gigawatts in Switzerland as of 2024.
What is the difference in solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity between South Africa and Switzerland?
0.69 gigawatts, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Switzerland?
15 years are reported by both, from 2010 to 2024.
How do South Africa and Switzerland rank globally for solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity?
South Africa ranks 23rd and Switzerland ranks 24th 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.

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South Africa vs Switzerland: Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity. Statizoid, drawing on IRENA (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://energy.statizoid.com/compare/solar-pv-cumulative-capacity/south-africa/switzerland/

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About this data

Indicator
Solar (photovoltaic) panels cumulative capacity
Unit
gigawatts
Source
IRENA (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
194 places, 3,044 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

Solar photovoltaic (on-grid) electricity installed capacity, measured in gigawatts.