Wiki-Solar: 183 GW of New Global Utility-Scale PV Installations in 2024

According to statistics from the solar project tracking website Wiki-Solar, global utility-scale PV installations have reached nearly 800 GW (AC)/1,000 GW (DC) in total, with new installations in 2024 expected to reach 182.7 GW (AC). Utility-scale PV installations in 33 major global markets have totaled 756 GW (AC), accounting for 93% of the global total.

Wiki-Solar's statistics cover PV plants of 4 MW (AC) and above, and it noted that the 2024 new installation data is still a preliminary estimate due to pending updates for Q4 data from markets such as China.

The Asian market remains in the lead, primarily driven by the continued growth in China and India. In 2024, China is expected to add 80.7 GW (AC) of new utility-scale PV installations (according to the National Energy Administration, China's annual new centralized PV installations are approximately 159 GW), bringing its cumulative installations to 320.1 GW (DC), maintaining its global leadership. The US ranks second, with 39 GW (AC) of new installations, bringing its total to 132.9 GW (AC). India ranks third, with 24.3 GW (AC) of new installations, bringing its total to 83.1 GW (AC).

The European market has accelerated its installation pace in 2024 after a sluggish period from 2018 to 2022. Spain and Germany have added 5.5 GW (AC) and 4.5 GW (AC) of new utility-scale PV installations, respectively, becoming the main growth drivers in the region.

Wiki-Solar noted that utility-scale PV installations in South America are steadily growing, with countries like Chile and Brazil continuing to advance their installations. Among them, Brazil has become the largest market of its kind in South America, driven by rapid expansion in 2023 and 2024.

Additionally, Saudi Arabia, Poland, and Portugal have made significant progress in 2024, with cumulative installations reaching 3.9 GW (AC), 2.5 GW (AC), and 3.7 GW (AC), respectively, in this sector.

Philip Wolfe, the founder of Wiki-Solar, expects global utility-scale PV installations to surpass 1 TW (AC) by 2025.