With the collaboration of Wagner Freire
The pace of growth in solar energy has been unprecedented in recent years. Although it took nearly 70 years—from the first commercialization of solar energy— Photo-voltaic cells in 1954 — to reach 1 TW of installed capacity, the second TW was added in just two years.
In 2023, 449 GW were installed – a number that rose to 597 GW in 2024, making the accumulated capacity of the photovoltaic source across the planet reach 2,2 TW at the end of last year.
Data is part of the report Global Market Outlook for Solar Power 2025-2029, presented in Munich, , this Tuesday (06), during Intersolar Europe.
According to the study, the advancement of solar energy was driven by three main factors: the significant drop in costs, the versatility of the technology — which ranges from small residential systems to large power plants — and a scenario of excess supply in the global production chain, which brought down prices.
Challenges to be overcome
The report presented this week also points out that there are obstacles that need to be overcome in the coming years around the world to maintain the growth of the solar sector.
These include the need for more flexible power grids, expansion of battery storage and transmission lines, agility in licensing processes and public policies adapted to renewables.
In developing countries, the main bottleneck is financing, while in less developed countries there is a need for greater integration of the solar source (which is still underutilized).
Furthermore, there is a consensus on the urgency of training professionals and defining clear goals for the expansion of solar energy.
The resurgence of for fossil fuels from some global leaders, macroeconomic challenges and changes in geopolitical dynamics are also challenges to be overcome.
According to the report, the coming years will be decisive for solar energy. Under the right conditions, solar installed capacity could exceed 8 TW by the end of the decade — ing for two-thirds of the renewable energy target set at COP28.
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