Solar power has generated more electricity globally than nuclear power for the first time, according to a report covered by pv magazine Global. The milestone is drawing attention because it marks a change in the balance between two major low-carbon sources of electricity.

The shift is part of a broader run of records for renewable energy. Recent headlines also point to a global renewable energy record, wind and solar together surpassing gas, and solar generating more electricity than coal in the United States. These developments help explain why the comparison between solar and nuclear is trending now: it is being reported as part of a wider change in power generation.

Solar generation comes from panels that convert sunlight into electricity, while nuclear plants generate power through controlled reactions that produce heat. Both contribute electricity without burning fossil fuels during generation, but they operate differently. Solar output varies with sunlight, while nuclear plants can generate power regardless of the time of day or weather, subject to plant operations.

The research context does not provide the report’s underlying data, the year or period covered, or the exact amount by which solar exceeded nuclear. It also does not confirm whether the comparison refers to annual electricity generation or another measurement. Those details are needed to assess the size and duration of the change.

The reported milestone does not mean solar has replaced nuclear power, or that it supplies most of the world’s electricity. It signals that solar’s contribution has grown enough to pass nuclear in the global comparison described in the headline. The supplied material supports that broad takeaway, while leaving the precise figures and timeframe unconfirmed.