Solar thermal energy - statistics & facts
Approximately 13 percent of the global heat supply came from renewable energy sources in 2022. This is considerably lower than the share of renewables in electricity generation, which stood at roughly 30 percent in that same year. Solar thermal energy, which uses solar radiation to heat a fluid, produces direct heat for domestic and industrial applications and plays an important role in the decarbonization of heat production. In 2022, the share of solar in the consumption of renewable heat worldwide stood at 5.4 percent, behind the use of bioenergy, renewable electricity, and heat pumps.
Aside from direct heating applications, solar thermal collectors can also be used to produce electricity. Concentrating solar power plants use high-temperature or concentrating solar collectors, which are able to supply heat at higher temperatures than flat-plate and evacuated tube collectors. In 2023, there were roughly 6.9 gigawatts of concentrating solar power installed worldwide, with Spain and the United States accounting for more than half of the global concentrating solar power capacity.
Other applications include solar heat for industrial processes and solar district heating. In industrial settings, solar thermal collectors can be used to provide heat up to some 400 °C. In 2023, there were approximately 1,000 solar process heat systems in operation worldwide. On the other hand, the number of large-scale solar district heating systems installed worldwide was estimated to be around 336 in that same year, with Denmark being the largest market worldwide.
Global solar thermal industry
The total solar heating capacity in operation worldwide grew from 196 to 560 gigawatts thermal between 2010 and 2023, although in the last few years the rate of new installations has followed a decreasing trend. Overall, China accounts for most of the solar collectors installed worldwide, reaching a capacity of 396 gigawatts thermal in 2023. Other important markets for solar thermal energy worldwide include Turkey, the United States, Germany, and Brazil.Aside from direct heating applications, solar thermal collectors can also be used to produce electricity. Concentrating solar power plants use high-temperature or concentrating solar collectors, which are able to supply heat at higher temperatures than flat-plate and evacuated tube collectors. In 2023, there were roughly 6.9 gigawatts of concentrating solar power installed worldwide, with Spain and the United States accounting for more than half of the global concentrating solar power capacity.
Solar heating worldwide: main applications
Among the different applications for solar heating, the domestic segment stands out with a share of 80 percent for newly installed hot water systems in 2022. Overall, the small-scale domestic market for water and space heating accounts for roughly 60 percent of the solar thermal market, although this segment is increasingly facing competition from solar photovoltaic systems and heat pumps, which have undergone a substantial price reduction in recent years. It was estimated that the number of dwellings using solar thermal technologies worldwide reached 256 million in 2020.Other applications include solar heat for industrial processes and solar district heating. In industrial settings, solar thermal collectors can be used to provide heat up to some 400 °C. In 2023, there were approximately 1,000 solar process heat systems in operation worldwide. On the other hand, the number of large-scale solar district heating systems installed worldwide was estimated to be around 336 in that same year, with Denmark being the largest market worldwide.
