Brazil reaches sixth position in the world ranking of photovoltaic solar energy (PV)

Brazil ended 2023 in sixth place in the world ranking of photovoltaic solar energy generation, shows a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena). According to the study, the country reached 37 GW of installed capacity and gained two positions compared to the 2022 list, surpassing Italy and Australia.

The ranking takes into account large plants (centralized generation) and smaller systems (distributed generation) in operation. Currently, in March 2024, the Brazilian market already exceeds 40 GW, with 27.9 GW of distributed generation and 12.8 GW of centralized generation.

The top five positions in the ranking remain unchanged, with China, the United States, Japan, Germany and India consolidating at the top. Australia and Italy fell one position. Spain surpassed South Korea and the Netherlands and entered the TOP 10.

According to the survey, 345.5 GW of installed solar PV capacity will be added worldwide in 2023. China alone was responsible for the addition of 217 GW. As a result, the source reached a cumulative global power of 1,419 GW.
Solar energy dominates the expansion of renewable energy

According to Irena, in 2023, 473 GW of installed renewable energy capacity will be added worldwide, reaching a cumulative volume of 3,870 GW. Renewables accounted for 86% of electricity generation capacity additions.

Solar energy dominated this renewable energy expansion, accounting for 73% of aggregate renewable energy. Second place was occupied by wind energy, with a share of 24%. Water sources, tides, bioenergy and geothermal energy were also included in the study.

In regional terms, Asia was the leader in added renewable capacity, with 326 GW, 69% of the total. In China, the increased competitiveness of solar and wind energy compared to gas and coal was the main driver of installations.

Meanwhile, in the European Union, the focus on energy security was the main catalyst for strong growth in renewable generation, along with more competitive costs compared to fossil alternatives.

Other regions that experienced significant growth were the Middle East, with 16.6%, and Oceania, with 9.4%. G7 countries recorded a 7.6% increase, adding almost 70 GW of renewable capacity last year.

G20 countries experienced a 15% increase, reaching 3,084 GW by the end of the year. Irena warned of the imbalance between continents, with Africa showing an increase of 4.6% and reaching a cumulative renewable energy capacity of only 62 GW.
Consult the world ranking of photovoltaic solar energy for 2023:
China: 609 GW
United States: 137 GW
Japan: 87 GW
Germany: 81 GW
India: 72 GW
Brazil: 37 GW
Australia 33 GW
Italy: 29 GW
Spain: 28 GW
South Korea: 27 GW