Solar Power Expansion and Carbon Emissions Reduction: A Comparative Study of G20 Countries (2010–2024)

Shahmeer Akhlaq

Solar Power Expansion and Carbon Emissions Reduction: A Comparative Study of G20 Countries (2010–2024)

Author(s)	Mr. Shahmeer Akhlaq
Country	India
Abstract	The period between 2010 and 2024 witnessed one of the most rapid technological transformations in the history of global electricity systems: the large-scale expansion of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA, 2024), global installed solar capacity increased from approximately 40 gigawatts (GW) in 2010 to more than 1,400 GW by 2023, with G20 economies accounting for the majority of deployment. During the same period, electricity systems across advanced and emerging economies underwent significant structural changes, including declining coal shares in some regions and persistent fossil fuel dependence in others. Despite dramatic renewable growth, global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions remained elevated, and reductions were uneven across countries (Global Carbon Project, 2024). This study conducts a longitudinal structural analysis of G20 economies from 2010 to 2024 using verified datasets from IRENA, the International Energy Agency (IEA), the World Bank, and the Global Carbon Project. The research evaluates installed solar capacity growth, electricity generation shares, fossil fuel trends, total and per capita CO₂ emissions trajectories, and electricity demand growth patterns. Rather than employing econometric panel estimation, the study applies a detailed comparative analytical framework to assess substitution dynamics, structural energy transition pathways, and institutional policy alignment. The findings demonstrate that solar expansion significantly reduced carbon intensity in electricity generation across most G20 economies. However, absolute emissions reductions occurred primarily in advanced economies that implemented fossil fuel phase-out policies, carbon pricing mechanisms, and demand stabilization strategies. In rapidly industrializing economies, solar capacity growth frequently coincided with rising electricity demand and continued coal expansion, limiting aggregate emissions decline. The results indicate that solar expansion is a necessary but insufficient condition for sustained decarbonization and must be accompanied by coordinated structural reforms to produce measurable reductions in total emissions.
Keywords	Solar photovoltaic energy, Carbon emissions, G20 economies, Energy transition, Coal phase-out, Electricity generation, Climate policy
Field	Physics > Energy
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 2, March-April 2026
Published On	2026-03-05

View / Download PDF File

E-ISSN 2582-2160

doi

CrossRef DOI is assigned to each research paper published in our journal.

IJFMR DOI prefix is
10.36948/ijfmr

Downloads

Research Paper Format Copyright Permission Form and Undertaking Form Cover Page Vol 8 Isu 2 Cover Page Vol 8 Isu 1 Cover Page Vol 7 Isu 6

All research papers published on this website are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, and all rights belong to their respective authors/researchers.

CC-BY-SA

About IJFMR Fees & Payment Current Issue Publication Archive	Submit Research Paper Track Submission Status Publication Guidelines Publication Ethics Peer Review & Plagiarism	Join as a Reviewer Editors & Reviewers Reviewer Referral Program Get Reviewer Membership Certi.	Website/Journal Policies Usage Policy Content Policies Privacy Policy

Contact Us		+91-9687-828-838	editor@ijfmr.com

International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

A Widely Indexed Open Access Peer Reviewed Multidisciplinary Bi-monthly Scholarly International Journal

Solar Power Expansion and Carbon Emissions Reduction: A Comparative Study of G20 Countries (2010–2024)

Share this