China Breaks Global Record: 93 GW Solar Installations in May

China has set a new global benchmark in solar energy deployment. The Asian country installed an unprecedented 93 gigawatts (GW) of solar power capacity in May 2025. This is the highest ever recorded solar addition for a single month by any country.

From January to May, new solar installations totaled 197.85 GW, up 388 percent from the same period last year. In May alone, China added 92.92 GW of new capacity, a 105.48 percent increase from April and the highest monthly figure on record..

The figure surpasses not only China’s previous record of 71 GW in December 2024 but also exceeds the total solar capacity installed by any other nation throughout 2024, according to data from China’s National Energy Administration (NEA).

Record-Breaking Rush Before Policy Shift

The surge to a rush by developers can be attributed to complete installations before new policy changes took effect in June.

Until now, solar projects in China benefited from pricing protections, ensuring near-guaranteed profitability upon grid connection. That safety net was withdrawn starting June 1, prompting a race to bring projects online in May.

Additionally, a new regulation implemented on May 1 has made grid connection for rooftop solar systems more cumbersome. Together, these policies are expected to cool the pace of new solar installations in the months ahead.

Global Context and Domestic Pressure

The May spike highlights China’s clear and uncanny dominance in solar development. As per Bloomberg estimates, the 93 GW installed in May alone outstrips the annual solar installations of any other country in 2024, underlining China’s lead in clean energy deployment.

But the momentum may be short-lived. With the removal of pricing incentives and logistical hurdles facing rooftop projects, solar additions in June and July are expected to slow. The policy shift comes amid growing concern over market saturation and falling solar equipment prices in China.

Industry Challenges Mount

The aggressive expansion has had economic consequences for Chinese solar manufacturers. All of the country’s major solar equipment producers reported losses in Q1 2025, citing plunging panel prices and rising trade barriers. The return of US President Donald Trump and his administration’s tariff policies have added further strain on Chinese exports.

Earlier in 2024, the China Photovoltaic Industry Association said that China urgently needs consolidation in the solar manufacturing industry as overcapacity and price wars are leading local companies to a race to the bottom.

Despite the record-breaking pace, experts suggest that China’s solar boom may be entering a new, more restrained phase, as market forces and regulatory recalibration begin to take hold.

China is expected to contribute nearly 60 percent of the renewable capacity installed worldwide by then, based on current market trends and government policies. If the country maintains its impressive run, as the International Energy Agency (IEA) suggests, it may hold nearly half of the world’s total renewable power capacity by the decade’s end.