Capacity of solar district heating systems operating worldwide 2020-2023

In 2023, the cumulative capacity of solar district heating systems installed across the world reached 1.9 gigawatts thermal in 2023, up from 1.8 gigawatts thermal a year earlier. Denmark is the country with the largest operational solar district heating capacity worldwide. In 2023, the Scandinavian country reached a capacity of 1.13 gigawatts thermal and was followed by China and Germany with solar district heating capacities of 503 and 120 megawatts thermal, respectively. 

Solar district heating plants worldwide

In total, there were 336 large-scale solar district heating plants in operation worldwide in 2023. Denmark, China, and Germany were also the countries with the highest number of solar thermal energy plants for district heating that year. As of end of 2023, the Danish city of Silkeborg was home to the largest district heating solar plant worldwide. With a capacity of 110 megawatts thermal and a solar collector area of over 156,000 square meters, the plant covers 20 percent of the network’s demand, which provides heat to 21,000 users. 

Global solar thermal industry

Between 2010 and 2023, global solar thermal heat capacity grew from 196 to 560 gigawatts thermal. This yielded a supply of some 456 terawatt hours thermal in the latter year. Solar thermal systems can be used to meet water and space heating needs in residential, commercial, and public buildings worldwide, as well as in solar district heating networks and in industrial settings.