PVTIME – The International Energy Agency has released a statistical brief focusing on the deployment of distributed solar photovoltaics worldwide, revealing significant growth figures for the 2025 calendar year. According to the report’s core dataset, new distributed PV installations worldwide increased by 24 percent compared to 2024 levels, establishing behind-the-meter solar as one of the fastest-growing segments of the global clean energy landscape.
Regional performance shows distinct geographic momentum, with Europe, Southeast Asia, and Australia emerging as key growth drivers. Falling hardware prices, supportive policy frameworks and rising interest in on-site power self-consumption have collectively stimulated the roll-out of residential, commercial and industrial rooftop solar within these markets. Each region has its own unique drivers: European markets benefit from well-established prosumer regulatory structures; Southeast Asia has seen significant uptake among industrial power consumers; and Australian households continue to adopt rooftop systems at high rates.
The report also notes that distributed solar is increasingly reshaping national power system dynamics. While widespread rooftop deployment creates new opportunities for local load management, it also presents technical challenges for distribution network operators. The IEA emphasises that pairing distributed PV with flexible resources, such as residential batteries, will become increasingly important as installation volumes continue to increase.
While these three regions are leading the expansion, the document also acknowledges the substantial contributions of other major markets. It warns policymakers to anticipate grid-planning adjustments in order to fully capture the economic and decarbonisation benefits brought by the proliferation of distributed solar assets.
