China added 59.71 GW of solar power capacity in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025, a 30.54% year-over-year (YoY) growth from 45.74 GW.

The country’s cumulative installed solar power capacity reached 950 GW as of March 2025.

According to China’s National Energy Administration, solar comprised 69.65% of the country’s total power capacity additions in Q1 2025.

The country also added 14.62 GW of wind, 2.13 GW of hydroelectric, and 9.25 GW of thermal power capacity in Q1 2025.

China did not add any nuclear power capacity during the quarter.

Its major power generation companies invested CN¥132.2 billion (~$18.09 billion) in power projects, a 2.5% YoY decrease.

Investment in power grid expansion reached CN¥95.6 billion (~$13.08 billion), a 24.8% rise from 2024.

China’s cumulative installed solar power capacity reached 890 GW as of December 2024. It installed 277.17 GW of solar capacity during the year, a 27.79% YoY increase.

Major power generation companies invested CN¥1,168.7 billion (~$160.52 billion) in the segment, a YoY increase of 12.1%. Investment in power grid projects also increased by 15.3% YoY to CN¥608.3 billion (~$83.66 billion).

China’s solar installations have seen consistent growth over the last six years, but the China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) forecasts capacity additions to drop by up to 22% in 2025 with the introduction of market-based pricing reforms. The association expects solar installations to decline in 2025 to between 215 GW and 255 GW or 8.13% and 22.54% from 277 GW in 2024.

The likely drop in solar installations could result from a policy change that requires the sale of power from renewable energy projects to be aligned with market conditions. The new policy, replacing the feed-in tariff system, will take effect in June 2025.

However, despite a lower capacity addition forecast for 2025, China still holds a big lead in solar energy, with the U.S. a distant second. According to the Energy Information Administration, the U.S. is expected to add 32.5 GW of solar capacity in 2025.

India had its best-ever year for solar in 2024 with a capacity addition of 25.2 GW, a 204% increase from a modest 8.3 GW in 2023, according to Mercom India’s Q4 and Annual 2024 India Solar Market Update Report.