The energy think tank Ember has published a report about global electricity use in 2024, revealing that Hungary had the highest share of solar energy in 2024: 25 per cent. This places the country ahead of Chile and Greece (both at 22 per cent), having ranked third behind them the previous year.

According to the summary from the Hungarian Ministry of Energy, of the countries with production above five terawatt-hours, only Spain (21 percent), besides the podium finishers, has a solar energy share above 20 percent. The top two in the world ranking had a share of less than two percent ten years ago.

Hungary recorded the fastest growth

Ember’s previously published European analysis also found that Hungary recorded the fastest growth in solar energy share in Europe over the past five years, rising from just 4 per cent in 2019.

Last year, solar power plants met more than 80 percent of domestic electricity demand for over 70 days during peak production periods. In contrast, only about 10 such days were recorded in 2023.

By spring 2025, around 7,800 megawatts of solar capacity had been installed in Hungary. Notably, four-fifths of the existing capacity has been deployed since 2020. Since 2022, domestic solar capacity has increased by at least 1,200 megawatts annually for three consecutive years.

The Ministry also emphasises that the benefits of clean power generation can only be realised if complemented by adequate storage capacity, which is eligible for support under the Jedlik Ányos Programme.

Clean power surpassed 40 per cent of global electricity

According to Ember’s report, clean power surpassed 40 per cent of global electricity generation in 2024, driven by record growth in renewables, especially solar. Solar power has become the engine of the global energy transition, with both solar generation and capacity installations setting new records in 2024. Solar generation maintained its high growth rate, doubling over the last three years and adding more electricity than any other source during that period.

At the same time, electricity demand saw a significant rise in 2024, outpacing growth in clean electricity. Expanding technologies such as AI, data centres, electric vehicles and heat pumps are already contributing to rising global demand. However, the main reason for the elevated electricity consumption in 2024 compared to 2023 was increased air conditioning use during heat waves. This accounted for nearly all of the modest rise in fossil generation.

In absolute terms, China remained the global leader in solar, with total generation reaching 834 terawatt-hour (TWh), more than the global total just five years earlier in 2019.

The United States, Brazil, India and Germany also saw record increases in solar generation, driven by record capacity additions in 2023 and 2024, with Germany leading Europe in total solar capacity.

Australia remained the country with the highest solar generation per capita at 1,866 kWh, followed by Greece in third place with 1,228 kWh, and Hungary in seventh with 971 kWh.