Canada forecast to add up to 26GW of solar PV by 2035

September 18, 2025
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Canada has 2.3GW of installed solar PV as of July 2025. Image: Sebastiaan stam via Unsplash.

The Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) has forecast that Canada will add between 17GW and 26GW of solar PV over the next decade.

This is one of the key takeaways of the trade association’s report, Canada’s Renewable Energy Market Outlook: Wind. Solar. Storage, produced along with consulting firm Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors, which also forecasts that 12GW to 16GW of energy storage will be added by 2035.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Between 2035 and 2050, the total installed capacity for solar PV, wind and energy storage will grow by a further 50-60%. This growth would lead wind and solar to increase their share of electricity supply to Canada from 10% today to 21% in 2035, mostly boosted by wind’s growth (30-51GW).

The three technologies combined are expected to account for more than 70% of all new electricity supply capacity built in Canada between 2025 and 2050.

The up to 26GW of solar PV additions would equal a more than tenfold increase from the 2.3GW of installed capacity for the technology as of July 2025. Energy storage would see a similar growth pattern to solar PV over the coming decade, as there is 1GW of installed energy storage as of July 2025. Wind leads the charge among the three technologies, with more than 17GW of installed capacity as of July 2025.

Moreover, the report mentions that on top of the installed capacity, there are currently 600MW of solar PV and 3.4GW of energy storage active procurement opportunities and an additional of 11.5GW of technology-agnostic or mixed solar-wind projects. However, CanREA said that these procurements only “represent the tip of the iceberg.”

Across the three technologies, the forecasted deployment could represent, on average, an annual investment of CA$14-20 billion (US$10.2-14.5 billion) between 2025 and 2035.

Most of the installed utility-scale solar capacity is located in Alberta, with nearly 2GW of operational solar PV, followed by Ontario and Prairies.

Read Next

October 28, 2025
Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) Australia has announced the development of a 210MWdc solar project in New Zealand's Rangitikei District.
October 27, 2025
Australian solar developer, BNRG Leeson, has submitted plans for a 440MW solar PV facility in Victoria's Campaspe Shire to Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
October 23, 2025
Solar PV technology has maintained its leading position as the most cost-competitive power generation source in 2025, according to analyst Wood Mackenzie.
October 21, 2025
Australia's solar-plus-storage sector gained momentum with 725MW of solar PV approvals advancing across New South Wales and Queensland.
October 21, 2025
An independent panel has granted resource consents for the 179MW Glorit Solar Farm in Auckland, New Zealand.
October 17, 2025
Norwegian renewable energy firm Scatec has signed lease agreements for 64MW of solar PV and 10MWh of energy storage capacity in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
November 12, 2025
10am PST / 1pm EST
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 10, 2026
Frankfurt, Germany