Dr. Hugh Cutcher
January 8, 2025
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After 2023 set the record as the sunniest year of the century, 2024 brought more varied irradiance trends. Variations in weather patterns, including El Niño and regional droughts, shaped solar energy performance worldwide. Despite the data showing that 2024 was the 2nd hottest year on record, that is not directly correlated with irradiance, and the solar picture is more varied around the world.
While regions like South America and sub-Saharan Africa enjoyed a relatively sunny year, others, including Canada, Western Europe, and India, faced increased cloud cover and lower solar production potential. Eastern Europe and southern Australia emerged as bright spots, benefiting from localized weather patterns that favoured clear skies.
Americas Solar
Canada and Alaska experienced a notably cloudy year in 2024, with solar irradiance dipping below the long-term average across much of the region. In contrast, the Midwest of the United States enjoyed increased irradiance, while most other areas, including the Gulf Coast and Florida, saw typical or below-typical solar conditions. A particularly active storm season in the Gulf contributed to reduced irradiance in the southeastern United States.
Further south, Mexico and South America generally experienced well-above-average solar conditions. Drought conditions in the Amazon, with less evaporation and less tropical afternoon convective cloud formation, were key drivers of the exceptional sunshine in the region.
Europe and Africa Solar Trends
2024 reversed the sunny trend in Europe from 2023, with conditions diverging significantly between west and east.
Western Europe faced cloudier-than-usual skies as well as several significant storms, though the Iberian Peninsula had near typical conditions. Eastern Europe, however, was sunnier than the long-term average, offering strong potential for solar production.
Meanwhile, Sub-Saharan Africa also experienced higher-than-average irradiance, on top of the already high long term average, reinforcing the region's solar energy potential.
Asia and Oceania Solar Trends
India faced an unusually cloudy year with below average solar potential. This was influenced by rainy conditions during the southwest monsoon over India, which was more active in 2024 than usual. However, inland China continued to experience higher irradiance, likely influenced by reduced aerosol loads.
Solar conditions in much of Southeast Asia were slightly above average although in parts of Maritime Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and surrounding areas, irradiance remained near or lower than typical with higher than usual rainfall. Similarly, Northern China, the Korean Peninsula and Japan recorded marginally lower-than-average irradiance.
In Australia, several monsoon episodes, tropical cyclones and thunderstorm outbreaks brought cloudy conditions to northern Australia. However, dry, northwesterly winds brought sunnier-than-usual weather to southern regions.
Whilst 2024 saw less irradiance than previous years, the rapid and ongoing increase in solar capacity meant that global solar production set new records everywhere. As capacity increases, every year sets a new record for solar production, renewable share of power generation, and potential for change in the energy transition.
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