Positive change takes time, and sometimes we cannot truly see the impact of the change until it’s completed. However, that is about to change, particularly in the renewable energy world. A new platform has been designed that will enable us to see how the world is being carpeted by solar panels, alongside other renewable energy types. On this platform, a pioneering map will show how many installations are generating 2,200 GW across the globe, giving us a physical representation of how the world is positively changing.
The entire world is yet to embrace renewables
The only constant in life is change, and without acknowledging that the world is evolving and that we must do the same, we cannot possibly progress to a better, more sustainable future. Several nations have achieved what was once thought impossible, namely, decreasing their total carbon footprint. This achievement can be attributed to the widespread adoption of renewable energies to replace fossil fuels.
However, despite this wonderful accomplishment, according to the Global Carbon Budget, carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector in 2024 have reached a new record high of 37.8 Gt. While several obvious factors contribute to the ever-rising global carbon footprint, such as increased energy demand due to the rising number of data centers, one factor stands out.
Despite widespread adoption of renewables, especially solar panels, a great number of nations have untapped areas with tremendous potential to harness solar energy. Fortunately, it is now possible to track how many installations are generating solar power worldwide, and where.
How solar panels are carpeting the world
The Nature Conservancy, Microsoft, and Planet have joined efforts to create an innovative platform. This platform is a world-first, as it opens doors to new opportunities in the renewable industry by providing us a glimpse into how solar panels are carpeting everything from a French mountain to the world. This platform is called the Global Renewables Watch, and it has been developed based on:
- The Nature Conservancy’s scientific expertise in renewable energy
- Microsoft’s extensive technical expertise in its AI for Good Lab technology
- Planet’s satellite data obtained from its PlanetScope basemaps
The Global Renewables Watch map enables key roleplayers to track real-world renewable data, including researchers, decision-makers, and policymakers. What’s more, the data from the platform’s map will allow us to pinpoint valuable information.
The map shows how many installations are generating 2,200 GW across the globe
A group of researchers utilized the platform’s map to construct a temporal solar dataset, thanks to the information obtained from satellite imagery taken from Q4 2017 to Q2 2024. In this study, the researchers found that 86,410 solar installations can be found across the globe. The following valuable information has also been pinpointed:
- While the average global solar expansion has been almost threefold, Oceania’s average solar expansion was much higher at seven-fold
- Asia is accountable for 61% of global land-installed solar capacity, the highest globally
- Global land-installed solar capacity has increased nearly threefold over the past seven years
The most interesting conclusion that was made from the dataset was that the majority of countries that have significant sunlight exposure levels each year do not benefit from their solar potential, remaining untapped. These countries are found in continents such as the Middle East and Africa.
Thanks to this new platform and its informative map, key roleplayers can pinpoint which untapped regions present opportunities for solar energy development. We can also track how well the world is on its way to becoming a better, more sustainable place. Furthermore, the platform also allows the tracking of wind installation, increasing insights and expansion possibilities even further. Another noteworthy solar project includes Europe’s largest solar plant of 3,500,000 solar panels, and it’s not even in Europe!
To learn more information, you can check the full study here: Robinson, C., Ortiz, A., Kim, A. (et al.). (2025) Global Renewables Watch: A Temporal Dataset of Solar and Wind Energy Derived from Satellite Imagery. Global Renewables Watch.
