Record Solar Power Capacity Reached Globally in 2023
In 2023, the world added 347 gigawatts (GW) of solar energy, marking a 74% increase from the previous year. This rapid growth was driven by the falling costs of solar panels and supportive government policies, as noted in a report by IRENA and the International Labour Organization (ILO). Key Contributors China played the biggest role in this solar energy boom, contributing 63% of the new capacity, which amounted to 216.9 GW. Other leading countries, like the United States, Germany, Brazil, India, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Australia, added a total of 83.4 GW. Europe alone increased its solar energy capacity by over 54 GW, while the US added about 25 GW. Employment Growth The surge in solar energy also led to a sharp rise in jobs. Global employment in the solar photovoltaic (PV) sector grew to 7.1 million jobs in 2023, up from 4.9 million in 2022. Most of these jobs were in China, which accounted for 4.6 million positions. Europe had around 757,500 solar jobs, mainly in