In 2025, the self-consumption of solar energy globally marked a milestone: it reached nearly 900 gigawatts of distributed power for the first time. Thus, this modality is consolidated as a fundamental piece of the energy transition.
This is revealed by the latest report from Global Energy Monitor (GEM). It indicates that the self-consumption of solar energy represents approximately 42% of the existing and projected solar capacity worldwide.
Furthermore, the global portfolio of wind and solar projects set a historical record in 2025 with 4900 gigawatts in announcement, pre-construction, and construction phases.
This figure represents an 11% growth compared to 2024 and reflects an unprecedented push towards renewable energies.
In this scenario, GEM highlighted that the self-consumption of solar energy plays “a significant role in the transition to clean energies”.
It should be noted that this form of distributed generation is integral to fulfilling the global commitment to triple the world’s renewable power by 2030, agreed upon at CoP28.
China, India, and Brazil lead the self-consumption of solar energy
The landscape of self-consumption of solar energy shows a clear global leadership by emerging economies.
It is precisely China, India, and Brazil that top the global table of distributed power in self-consumption installations, according to GEM data.
In particular, the Asian giant also leads in large-scale projects, with 488 gigawatts under construction.
This figure represents half of the world total in that category and triples the capacity of its closest competitors.
The G7, lagging in self-consumption of solar energy
The report revealed that 89% of current renewable projects take place outside the G7 nations. This trend evidences a profound change in the map of the global energy transition.
It seems that today the most advanced economies show a worrying lag in the development of self-consumption of solar energy and renewables in general.
Currently, the G7 concentrates only 11% of the large-scale wind and solar power in prospect, despite controlling approximately half of the world’s wealth.
According to GEM, the G7 project portfolio has remained stagnant at around 520 gigawatts since 2023.
This figure highlights the gap between the declared climate ambitions and the actual implementation in these nations.
Diren Kocakuşak, research analyst at GEM, noted: “Wind and solar are growing at a dizzying speed, and largely that growth is now coming from economies that not long ago were followers and not leaders”.
Emerging economies surprise at the forefront
According to the report, the growth of renewable energies is increasingly concentrated in emerging economies.
It indicates that Brazil, Australia, India, the United States, Spain, and the Philippines follow China in the ranking of projects under development.
China is currently working on more than 1500 gigawatts of wind and solar power. This capacity is practically equivalent to the sum of the six countries that follow it in the global ranking.
The global solar self-consumption is relevant today because it represents a key piece to achieve international climate goals.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), this modality constitutes 42% of the total photovoltaic capacity, highlighting its integral role in the energy future.
In this sense, Kocakuşak posed the central question: “Are the richest countries going to close the gap between their ambitions and the execution of projects, or are they going to cede the leadership of a sector that is experiencing a boom?”.
