2025: BRICS Solar Generation Jumps 39% YoY, Russia, Egypt, Indonesia Trail

A new report from energy think tank Ember shows that the ten BRICS nations accounted for 51% of global solar electricity generation in 2024, up from just 15% a decade earlier. The findings, released ahead of the BRICS summit, highlight a major shift in the global energy transition, positioning the bloc as a key player.

In early 2025, solar generation across the five original BRICS members rose 39% between January and April, compared to the same period in 2024. The growth was driven by China, India, and Brazil, which have maintained the strong momentum of previous years.

While the overall trend is positive, progress among BRICS nations remains uneven. Russia continues to lag far behind in clean growth, with solar generation still below 0.5 TWh in early 2025. In Indonesia, over 75% of electricity growth between 2014 and 2023 came from fossil fuels, and Egypt still relies heavily on gas to meet rising demand.

2025: China Adds 98 TWh Between January To April 

Among the core BRICS members, China led in both absolute and percentage terms, adding 98 TWh in the January to April period, a 42% rise year-on-year. This increase in China’s solar power in just the first four months of 2025 was equivalent to Italy’s total electricity demand during the same period. It also contributed to a new milestone, with China’s solar and wind generation exceeding 25% of total electricity for a single month for the first time in April, as reported by Ember previously.

EMBER analysis highlights how China, India, and Brazil have emerged as the primary drivers of this shift. In 2024, China remained the world’s largest solar generator with 834 TWh of output, nearly three times more than the second-ranked United States. India reached 133 TWh, a fourfold increase since 2019, while Brazil joined the global top five by surpassing Germany with 75 TWh of solar generation.

The rise is not just in total generation but also the share of new electricity demand met by clean power. In 2024, solar alone met 36% of the increase in electricity generation across all BRICS countries, a major jump from 14% in the previous decade and just 0.25% a decade before that. When combined with other clean sources like wind, hydro, and nuclear, 70% of the increase in electricity generation in 2024 came from clean energy.

 

The analysis highlights how China, India, and Brazil have emerged as the primary drivers of this shift. In 2024, China remained the world’s largest solar generator with 834 TWh of output, nearly three times more than the second-ranked United States. India reached 133 TWh, a fourfold increase since 2019, while Brazil joined the global top five by surpassing Germany with 75 TWh of solar generation.

The rise is not just in total generation but also the share of new electricity demand met by clean power. In 2024, solar alone met 36% of the increase in electricity generation across all BRICS countries, a major jump from 14% in the previous decade and just 0.25% a decade before that. When combined with other clean sources like wind, hydro, and nuclear, 70% of the increase in electricity generation in 2024 came from clean energy.

BRICS Now Account For More Than Half Of Global Solar Generation

BRICS countries are no longer on the sidelines of the clean energy transition – they are driving it. They now account for more than half of global solar power generation. As economies like China, India, and Brazil scale up solar at a record pace, BRICS is proving that clean electricity can power both economic growth and resilience. Ahead of the summit, these numbers send a clear message: the bloc has the momentum and the opportunity to lead with greater ambition while strengthening energy security and reducing reliance on fossil fuel imports.

China is leading this shift. Clean sources met 82% of the increase in electricity generation in 2024 in the country, with solar alone contributing 41%. Recent Ember data shows that from January to May 2025, China met all its additional electricity demand with clean power. Rapid solar growth, along with strong gains in wind and other clean sources, led to a drop in fossil generation in the country. India and Brazil also registered strong solar growth in January to April 2025, with year-on-year increases of 32% and 35%, in the same period, respectively.

However, the economics are changing, and there’s an opportunity for all BRICS countries to build on the momentum the bloc has achieved. A recent Ember report shows that 24/7 solar power is now cost-competitive in countries like South Africa when paired with battery storage, thanks to falling battery prices. With solar and other clean technologies becoming increasingly cost-competitive, the BRICS countries have a timely opportunity at this summit to deepen their commitment to clean energy, enhancing energy security and reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.