BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and new members Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates – together accounted for half (51%) of global solar electricity generation in 2024, according to energy think tank Ember’s report “Solar BRICS: Emerging economies now lead the world’s clean energy race.”

China alone generated 39% of the world’s solar power in 2024, up from just 12% a decade earlier. South Africa contributed 0.9%.

Five BRICS countries featured among the world’s top 20 solar power producers. China led globally with 839 terawatt-hours (TWh), followed by the United States (303TWh) and India (137TWh). Brazil ranked sixth with 71TWh, and South Africa placed 16th with 20TWh. The United Arab Emirates, which joined BRICS in 2024, was 20th.