# Solar photovoltaics: Overview

Cells that turn light straight into electricity

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pv/overview/

What this tile covers Cells that turn sunlight straight into electricity, from rooftops to utility farms. Share of use 1.3% share of world energy supply (2024)

Share of world total energy supply captured or extracted by each method, 2024 (latest year where noted). Denominator is the Energy Institute Statistical Review 2025 total of 592.2 EJ (physical energy content method); electricity from wind, solar, hydro and geothermal is counted at output, nuclear at reactor heat. Heat and biomass flows outside EI's total are set against the same 592.2 EJ. Solar electricity 2,131 TWh minus an estimated 16 TWh from CSP = 7.61 EJ of 592.2 EJ (calculated). Source: [Statistical Review of World Energy 2025 (74th edition)](https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmgsites/sg/pdf/2025/08/2025-statistical-review-of-world-energy.pdf), Energy Institute.

#### Key facts

| **Output** | Electricity |
|---|---|

#### Included from the reference tables

- Silicon, thin-film (CdTe, CIGS), perovskite and tandem cells
- Rooftop, utility, floating, agrivoltaic and building-integrated PV
- Concentrator PV

#### Linked to the material world
[Si Silicon](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silicon/)[Ag Silver](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/silver/)[pSi Polysilicon](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polysilicon/)[Te Tellurium](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/tellurium/)[In Indium](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/indium/)[Ga Gallium](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/gallium/)

#### Also in Solar
[CSP Concentrated solar power](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_csp/)[SHC Solar heat collectors](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_solar_heat/)[Pas Passive solar and natural cooling](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_passive/)[SF Solar fuels and photosynthesis](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_solar_fuels/)

Explore paths from here
 More on this tile in the tabs above: efficiency, techniques, resources and labour, impact on the biosphere.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pv/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pv/correlation/index.md)
- [Efficiency](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pv/efficiency/index.md)
- [Techniques](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pv/techniques/index.md)
- [Resources and labour](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pv/resources/index.md)
- [Impact on the biosphere](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pv/biosphere/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pv/links/index.md)