Where is solar energy most used?

Solar energy is by far the most abundant resource available on Earth. Without the sun, the planet could not survive. With it, we can not only stay warm and grow food, but also power our homes and heat our water and living spaces. Yet as abundant as solar power is, it still provides a minuscule percentage of global energy consumption, although that percentage is growing steadily - faster in some places than others.

By far the most installed megawatts of solar power in the world are in Germany. This unlikely world leader has used a combination of lucrative incentives, including a valuable feed-in tariff that pays solar electricity producers extra for their renewable power. Other countries have followed suit, especially in Europe. Spain became the world leader in solar thermal power production through feed-in tariff laws. France, Denmark, Czech Republic, Italy and several other EU nations have done the same. Therefore, Europe has become the global headquarters for solar energy use.

In the United States, California is easily the solar leader, representing roughly half of all solar power generated in the country. California alone rose to become the 3rd largest solar energy market in the world. The U.S., especially the Southwest region, has incredible solar potential and could be just a feed-in tariff and some environmental issues away from being the solar leader. However, there are plans to install solar farms of unprecedented size in the deserts of North Africa, possibly enough to power all of Europe.