Solar generation exceeded nuclear power by 13% in 2025 — OilPrice
In 2025, global solar generation exceeded electricity production at nuclear power plants by 13%. Solar electricity output reached 2,778 TWh, OilPrice reports.
For comparison, in 2015, solar power plants worldwide generated 256 TWh of electricity, while nuclear generation amounted to 2,576 TWh. Dave Jones, co-founder of the Ember think tank, told the BBC that solar energy exceeding the output of all the world’s nuclear power plants was an extraordinary figure.
Falling panel costs
The publication cites the sharp decline in equipment costs as one of the factors behind the growth of solar energy. Prices for photovoltaic panels have fallen by 90% since 2010. The bulk of solar energy development has taken place in China, while more affordable Chinese panels have contributed to the spread of solar generation in other countries.
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According to OilPrice, global solar power capacity roughly doubled every three years. The publication also notes that developing countries and growing markets account for an increasingly large share of demand for solar solutions.
The role of batteries
Lower battery prices are also contributing to the spread of rooftop solar systems. This, in particular, makes it possible to combine solar panels with electricity storage systems and partially offset the dependence of generation on the time of day. Jan Rosenow, professor of energy and climate policy at the University of Oxford, told the BBC that in sunny regions, solar generation systems with energy storage already regularly cost less than new fossil-fuel power plants.
OilPrice, citing Yale Environment 360, writes that about 63% of emerging markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America receive a larger share of generation from solar energy than the United States. The publication names Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Morocco, Kenya and Namibia among such countries. In Pakistan, according to its data, the installation of household solar systems and batteries is growing rapidly.
