- Giants
- Our World in Data
- Solar installation time decline
Solar installation time decline
Our World in Data's line chart drew 22.6K views on X: 0.8x its typical post and #102 of 139 Our World in Data charts we track by views. Read Oct 10, 2026.
In 2004, it took the world a year to add a gigawatt of solar power, now it takes a day.
Why it spread
It spread because the post explains itself and comes from an independent author, earning 346 likes, 129 reposts, 10 quotes, 41 saves, and 22,636 views.
What worked
- The post text makes the chart self-explanatory by stating the core change: in 2004 it took a year to add a gigawatt of solar power, now it takes a day.
- The chart is a line chart with high self-labelling and a visible source line, so viewers can understand the trend without extra context.
- The account is an independent author in data journalism with top quarter source reach, and the quote rate is above average, which helped the post travel.
What to borrow
We could use the same self-explaining framing by pairing a simple line chart with a plain-language sentence that states the before and after time comparison, and we could keep high self-labelling and a source line.
Careful
Do not copy the branded style or assume the same results, because the post had medium design polish, no unusual form, and its spread depended on the account being an independent author with top quarter source reach.
Written by our analysis model from the measured numbers above, not by Our World in Data.
Make it yours
Your numbers, in this line chart.
Starts from the real numbers of "How long did it take the world to install a gigawattatt of solar power?" by Our World in Data. Replace every number with yours before you post. Make one like this, step by step
Free pictures carry a small "Made with ViralChart" line. That line is how other people find us.
API · Max
Use this chart via API
On the Max plan you can pull this chart's numbers with the provenance of each one, as JSON or CSV, with its redraw spec, or call it from an agent over MCP. Chart id 4018df0a2fa0.
| Path | Returns | Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GET | /api/v1/charts/4018df0a2fa0 | Title, publisher, date, form, point count; with a Max key, the data link | Open |
| GET | /api/v1/charts/4018df0a2fa0/data | Every point with its provenance and confidence, plus the redraw spec. Add ?format=csv for CSV | Max |
| GET | /api/v1/charts/4018df0a2fa0/render?view=1 | The draw-only view this page uses | Open |
| POST | /mcp | Tool get_chart_data with this id, for Claude, Cursor and other agents | Max |
curl -s https://viral-chart.com/api/v1/charts/4018df0a2fa0/data \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $VIRALCHART_KEY"claude mcp add --transport http viralchart https://viral-chart.com/mcp \
--header "Authorization: Bearer $VIRALCHART_KEY"60 requests a minute per key; over that you get 429 with Retry-After. Up to 5 keys per account, made on your account page and shown once. Without Max, the data route answers 402 with a link to the plans. The numbers describe a chart its publisher owns, and every file carries a license note.
More from Our World in Data
All 139
Other giants using a line chart
All 295
Questions people ask
How far did Our World in Data's "Solar installation time decline" chart travel?
22,636 views, 346 likes, 129 reposts and 41 saves on X, read Oct 10, 2026. A normal post from @OurWorldInData gets about 28.6K views.
What kind of chart is it?
A line chart. Time to install a gigawatt of solar plummets over decades.
Can I use Our World in Data's chart?
Use the format, not the picture. The chart, logo and design belong to Our World in Data. ViralChart redraws the chart type with your numbers and words, and credits the original publisher.