The recent rise in solar energy has resulted in competition among several countries, including America. Those who have led or are leading the industry are ranked based on production capacity. However, according to a recent survey, the global ranking for solar leadership is flawed, as it neglects real-world impacts. In this article, we discuss this impact and a country in South America that achieves the best results.

How solar leadership is measured globally

In the past decade, solar energy has become a leading prospect for renewable energy goals. To that effect, it is safe to assume that solar power is the new gold rush, right? And with that in mind, it would mean that any country that manufactures or utilizes solar devices would be considered a leading frontier as far as solar energy is concerned.

This idea has fueled a manufacturing competition among different nations of the world, but one has continued to be seen with global dominance. This is China. With perpetual backing from their government, the Chinese have continued to dominate the solar industry. This is, of course, based on the metrics of manufacturing output and installation.

However, according to a recent survey by Solfácil, the criteria chosen to gauge leading power are insufficient. Access to their capacity and installation power is incomplete without considering grid integration, storage, and overall system management. As solar energies continue to rise, researchers have begun to include these categories in their rankings.

A country in South America reframes the conversation on solar leadership

Researchers have carried out a survey to determine the leading power in solar generation. To their surprise, a country in South America has emerged undefeated based on all the considered criteria. This is the country of Brazil, and in the past years, researchers have monitored a sharp and impressive growth in their national solar performance.

This follows an integrated determination by the Brazilian government to meet and exceed its electricity demands and reduce its dependence on fossil generation. Hence, the share of solar power in Brazil has grown from 2.2% in August 2020 to 13% in August 2025. This shows a substantial operational success rather than manufacturing capabilities, just like this unprecedented innovation, revolutionizing solar energy.

Additionally, according to a review by Ember’s Global Electricity in 2025, Brazil has also leveled its CO₂ emissions. In 2014, the South American country saw a peak CO₂ emission of 114 million tonnes. But as the country shifted towards solar generation, the country saw electric generation increase by 22% with a CO₂ emission decline of 31% in 2024.

Why the new metric system matters

The set of data used to single out Brazil is reaching historic highs, as no other country has amassed such a record-breaking number in years. While many are still integrating solar with fossil generation, Brazil has reflected outstanding transitions to solar energy.

The impact of this metric on solar leadership

Brazil’s pace toward clean energy generation has put South America on the map like never before. With its continued efforts, it has been able to control dependency on the imports of coal and other fossil resources while meeting electricity demands. However, Brazil has been able to address issues such as grid congestion and regulations.

Although the fast rise of Brazil into solar power is quite impressive, the country is still pushing to further its cause and meet energy demands. This is both for residential and industrial usage. Hence, the Brazilian government has planned auctions for transmission lines and compensations aimed at reducing the complexities tied to renewable energy generation.

There is one last breakthrough for residents and industries in Brazil. The integration into solar energy has presented them with the opportunity to access electricity at a very cheap rate, just like the New York solar revolution project, reshaping the energy future. Therefore, considering all available criteria, the Brazilian government is more of a solar frontier than China.