The State of Global Solar 2026
We mapped solar potential across 245 countries to find where the sun does the most work in 2026. Built from satellite irradiance and a single, standardized residential system model — so every country is measured the same way. Every figure is an estimate.
Published June 2026 · Free to cite · 245-country dataset
Figures are estimates based on typical system assumptions and the latest available electricity-price and billing data. Actual costs, tariffs, net-metering rules, and incentives vary by utility and change over time — confirm with a local installer or energy authority before making decisions.
What this report covers
This report ranks 245 countries and territories on their solar potential and summarises the patterns that emerge. It is meant to be a quick, linkable, journalist-friendly reference — a single consistent view of where rooftop solar generates the most energy, without stitching together a dozen different sources.
The two headline measures are specific yield — the estimated annual energy a standard system produces per kWp installed (kWh/kWp) — and the Roofko solar score (0–100), a normalized index of how favourable a location is for solar. Both derive from satellite irradiance data (PVGIS / NASA surface solar resource) run through a standardized residential system model, so the comparison across countries is apples to apples.
Across the full dataset, the estimated average specific yield is 1,507 kWh/kWp and the estimated average solar score is 74 / 100. The single highest-yield country is Namibia (~1,948 kWh/kWp); the lowest is Svalbard & Jan Mayen (~600 kWh/kWp).
All figures in this report are estimates. We rank countries only on the measures we trust — solar score and specific yield, both grounded in satellite irradiance. We deliberately do notrank countries by electricity price or payback period: tariff data is patchy and contains known outliers, so a “cheapest payback” league table would mislead. Where we mention electricity prices, it is for context only.
The 20 best countries for solar in 2026
Ranked by estimated average solar score, with specific yield as the tie-breaker. Each country links to its full Roofko atlas profile.
| Rank | Country | Solar score | Avg yield (kWh/kWp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Curaçao | 98 / 100 | 1,757 |
| 2 | U.S. Virgin Islands | 98 / 100 | 1,734 |
| 3 | Antigua & Barbuda | 98 / 100 | 1,719 |
| 4 | St. Kitts & Nevis | 98 / 100 | 1,704 |
| 5 | Cayman Islands | 98 / 100 | 1,674 |
| 6 | Guatemala | 98 / 100 | 1,642 |
| 7 | Guyana | 98 / 100 | 1,578 |
| 8 | Brazil | 98 / 100 | 1,564 |
| 9 | Uruguay | 98 / 100 | 1,559 |
| 10 | Cook Islands | 98 / 100 | 1,539 |
| 11 | Bermuda | 98 / 100 | 1,534 |
| 12 | St. Helena | 98 / 100 | 1,502 |
| 13 | Solomon Islands | 98 / 100 | 1,429 |
| 14 | Vanuatu | 98 / 100 | 1,394 |
| 15 | Romania | 98 / 100 | 1,291 |
| 16 | El Salvador | 97 / 100 | 1,736 |
| 17 | Haiti | 97 / 100 | 1,722 |
| 18 | Barbados | 97 / 100 | 1,705 |
| 19 | Bahamas | 97 / 100 | 1,684 |
| 20 | Chile | 97 / 100 | 1,627 |
The leaderboard rewards sunny, low-latitude locations — many of the top spots are tropical and Caribbean islands and equatorial Latin America, where a panel sees strong sun year-round. All values are estimates. See the full 245-country table on the rankings page.
The 10 lowest-potential countries
The other end of the 245-country table. Low scores here reflect a mix of high latitude, persistent cloud cover, and weaker solar economics — not that solar is impossible, only that the estimated return is comparatively modest.
| Rank | Country | Solar score | Avg yield (kWh/kWp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 236 | Nigeria | 30 / 100 | 1,537 |
| 237 | Uzbekistan | 30 / 100 | 1,528 |
| 238 | Congo - Kinshasa | 30 / 100 | 1,525 |
| 239 | Myanmar (Burma) | 30 / 100 | 1,509 |
| 240 | Kyrgyzstan | 30 / 100 | 1,499 |
| 241 | Laos | 30 / 100 | 1,446 |
| 242 | Azerbaijan | 30 / 100 | 1,407 |
| 243 | Kazakhstan | 30 / 100 | 1,375 |
| 244 | Bhutan | 30 / 100 | 1,375 |
| 245 | Russia | 30 / 100 | 1,150 |
Note how some of these countries still post a respectable specific yield — plenty of sunlight reaches the panel — yet score low once the standardized economic model is applied. Strong sun alone does not guarantee a strong solar score. All values are estimates.
Regional patterns
Grouping the 245countries into rough world regions surfaces a few honest patterns. The table below shows each region’s estimated average solar score and specific yield.
| Region | Countries | Avg solar score | Avg yield (kWh/kWp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America | 43 | 87.4 / 100 | 1,628 |
| Oceania | 27 | 87.3 / 100 | 1,506 |
| South America | 15 | 86.5 / 100 | 1,507 |
| Europe | 52 | 78.9 / 100 | 1,209 |
| Africa | 57 | 64.9 / 100 | 1,643 |
| Asia | 51 | 57.1 / 100 | 1,558 |
A few observations stand out from the data:
- The Americas and Oceania lead on score. North America posts the highest estimated average solar score (87.4 / 100), helped by a band of sunny, low-latitude island and equatorial territories.
- Raw sunshine peaks in Africa. On pure specific yield, Africa tops the table (~1,643 kWh/kWp) — yet its average score sits well below the Americas. More sunlight on the panel does not automatically translate into a higher overall score once the standardized model is applied.
- Europe works with the least sun. Europe has the lowest estimated average yield (~1,209 kWh/kWp), a straightforward consequence of higher latitudes and cloudier skies — and yet it still scores respectably, a reminder that solar is widely viable even where the sun is weaker.
Regions are a coarse grouping for illustration; the underlying signal is latitude and climate, not politics. All figures are estimates.
Cite this report
This report is free to use and cite, including commercially. Please attribute Roofko and link back:
Roofko, "The State of Global Solar 2026", roofko.me/reports/global-solar-2026 (245 countries; figures are estimates).
Released under a CC-BY-style license — reuse freely with credit to Roofko.
Get the underlying data
Every figure here comes from the open 245-country dataset. Explore it, or download the raw file.
Methodology & limits
Specific yield and solar score derive from satellite irradiance averages run through a single, standardized residential system model — the same assumptions applied to every country so the comparison is consistent. These are deliberately simple, comparable approximations, not utility-grade forecasts. We rank only on these irradiance-grounded measures and treat electricity prices as context, never as a league table.
Real outcomes depend on the specific roof, system design, local tariffs, net-metering rules, and incentives — all of which vary and change over time. Treat every number as an estimate and confirm with a local installer or energy authority before making decisions.
Figures are estimates based on typical system assumptions and the latest available electricity-price and billing data. Actual costs, tariffs, net-metering rules, and incentives vary by utility and change over time — confirm with a local installer or energy authority before making decisions.
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