March 29, 2026
Here comes the sun... and the comment wars
Solar is winning the energy race
Sun's up, fight's on: fans cheer, skeptics yell 'nighttime!' and China gets a thank-you
TLDR: Solar’s share of global electricity has surged to about 10%, with China, the EU, and the US adding huge capacity, and coal slipping. Comments split between real-world wins (Pakistan rooftops), cold-water skeptics (“still 80% fossil”), night-time jokes, and debates over storage, grids, and EVs with solar dreams.
The DW report says solar jumped from 1% of world power in 2015 to about 10% in 2025, even overtaking nuclear. China is the engine — roughly 1,300 GW and making most panels — while the EU gets ~13% of its electricity from solar and the US ~8% despite political headwinds. Coal’s share keeps shrinking.
But the comments? A street brawl. One user opens with ‘Thank you, China,’ and the takes pour in. A hard skeptic says we’re still 80% fossil and calls the story hype from a government-funded outlet. The zinger — ‘except at night and in winter’ — becomes the thread’s catchphrase. Others ask how far solar can go before storage and the grid must catch up, debating limits, seasonality, and whether the growth curve can keep bending upward.
Then come real-world vibes: a poster from Pakistan paints a rooftop revolution — homes and factories slashing bills, some even selling back to the grid. Meanwhile, a newbie wonders why electric cars (EVs) can’t charge themselves with roof panels; replies bring physics and punchlines about ‘solar vehicles’ (SVs). Bottom line in the thread: solar’s sprinting, the finish line’s still far — and the crowd can’t decide whether to wave checkered flags or throw shade.
Key Points
- •Global solar capacity rose from 228 GW (2015) to 759 GW (2020) and an estimated 2,919 GW (2025), supplying about 10% of global energy—surpassing nuclear’s 9%.
- •If current growth persists, global solar capacity could reach 9,000 GW by 2030, potentially meeting over 20% of world energy demand.
- •China leads with ~1,300 GW total capacity and installed 315 GW in 2025; over 80% of solar panels are produced in China; solar provides 11% of its electricity, with coal’s share down to 56%.
- •The EU has 406 GW, with solar covering ~13% of electricity and coal down to 9%; Greece, Cyprus, Spain, and Hungary exceed 20% solar shares; Germany leads the EU with 119 GW, followed by Spain with 56 GW.
- •The US ranks third at 267 GW, supplying ~8% of electricity (up from 1% in 2015); coal’s share declined from 34% (2015) to 17% (2025). India is fourth with 136 GW (~8%), with solar also growing in Pakistan, Brazil, and Japan.