{
  "id": 129234,
  "title": "The World Adds a Third Terawatt of Solar Power",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/the-world-adds-a-third-terawatt-of-solar-power",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-04T12:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yale Environment 360",
    "slug": "yale-environment-360",
    "url": "https://e360.yale.edu/digest/three-terawatts-solar"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In March, the world reached a significant energy milestone, reaching its third terawatt of solar power capacity. Analysts note that poorer countries are increasingly spearheading the shift towards solar energy. The journey to this point took nearly seven decades, following the invention of the silicon solar cell in 1954. In 2022, the world installed its second terawatt of solar capacity, and in 2026, it added its third terawatt, according to Bloomberg. BloombergNEF predicts that this trend will continue, with the world reaching 9 terawatts of solar power by 2036. Analysts project that by this date, poorer nations will have installed more solar power than richer countries, except for China. While the first terawatt of solar was primarily installed in wealthy nations, China has since emerged as the global solar leader, constructing massive amounts of solar panels and exporting them to developing countries. This trend is particularly evident in regions severely impacted by energy shocks, such as Pakistan, Nigeria, and Cuba. As fossil fuel prices soar, homeowners in these regions have turned to imported solar panels. The global solar boom is driving a push to build transmission lines that can transport energy from production sites to areas in need, and is also fueling demand for batteries to store excess power. Countries like Pakistan, which have experienced energy shocks and followed through with a solar buildout, have seen a surge in battery sales. China, responsible for more than half of all solar installations worldwide, doubled its battery storage capacity last year, as reported by energy think tank Ember. In its latest Five-Year Plan, China set a goal to further expand the use of renewable energy by deploying even more storage. India, too, is industrializing with solar energy.",
  "summary": "In March, the world passed a major energy milestone, adding its third terawatt of solar power. Increasingly, poorer countries are leading the shift to solar, analysts say. Read more on E360 →",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}