The brutal magnitude of China's solar record: 100 panels per second and a billion watts

A billion watts. Just like that, without anesthesia. That is the new and colossal mark of installed solar capacity that China has reached after adding 198 gigawatts only in the first five months of 2025.

For those who lose track with so many zeros: one terawatt (1 TW) equals 1,000 gigawatts, or in other words, a world record that wasn't even on the radar of many just a decade ago.

But what makes this leap even more overwhelming is that, in May, China added no less than 93 gigawatts of solar capacity, which is equivalent to 230 million solar panels. According to calculations, that’s almost 100 panels per second. Not even in a science fiction dystopia would there be such a colossal deployment.

In 2024, China was responsible for 60% of the planet's new renewable installations. The G7 barely reached 14%

The solar (and wind) fever of May

It is clear that China's solar capacity pace is unmatched, but there’s more. Also in May, China added 26 GW of wind energy, bringing the year's total to 46 GW on this front. In total, between January and May 2025, the country has installed 244 gigawatts in renewables, more than many countries generate in an entire year.

To make a comparison that stands out (sorry, in this case we can't translate these figures to football fields): the renewable capacity installed by China in May could supply electricity for an entire year to countries like Poland, Norway, or Sweden.

And if we add up the first five months of the year, we would be talking about an electricity production similar to that of Indonesia or Turkey. It’s not an exaggeration, it’s a scale change.

Why now? The race against time

The truth is that this runaway momentum has not been a coincidence. China has rushed to connect all possible projects to the grid before the entry into force of a new regulatory framework expected in June. And what is special about it is that it modifies the rates applied to new installations. A kind of "energy Black Friday", but with historical implications.

Although a relative slowdown is expected in the second half of the year, experts agree that the country will maintain its global leadership thanks to its strong domestic industry, unparalleled production capacity, and a long-term energy strategy that goes far beyond political short-termism.

Another striking aspect is that, at COP28 held in Dubai in 2023, the international community agreed to triple renewable capacity by 2030. Many countries signed, but China decided not to and limited itself to expressing a generic commitment.

Still, in 2024 it was responsible for 60% of the planet's new renewable installations. The G7, which did sign, barely reached 14%. It is once again evident that facts matter more than words (or signed agreements, in this case).

Renewable leader

According to the REN21 report, China leads the global ranking not only in solar energy but also in wind and hydroelectric energy, and has recently enacted its first Energy Law, in effect since January 2025.

Meanwhile, in Europe, France has just voted in its National Assembly for a pause in the deployment of renewables to assess their technical and financial viability. A pause just when the world needs to accelerate.

What China has done in just five months is not a mere energy milestone; it is a demonstration of technological, political, and industrial strength. Increasingly, headlines need to exaggerate to grab attention. This one does not. "100 panels per second and a billion watts" is not hyperbole, it is what is happening.

China didn’t need to promise anything. It simply did it.

Fotos: Freepik