Renewable Capacity Statistics 2026
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)01 Mar 2026irena-reuse-with-attributionRead the original
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IRENA's annual capacity dataset records 692 gigawatts of renewable generating capacity added worldwide during 2025, the largest single-year increase yet and a 15.5 percent expansion of the installed renewable stock. Solar accounted for close to three-quarters of the total at a record 510 gigawatts, with wind contributing 159 gigawatts. By the close of 2025 renewables made up 49 percent of all installed power capacity globally and 85.6 percent of the year's capacity additions. Deployment remained highly concentrated: China, the United States and the European Union together installed 550 gigawatts, or 79.5 percent of the global total, while Africa added 11.3 gigawatts, just 1.6 percent. Small island developing states hold a combined 11 gigawatts, 0.2 percent of the worldwide figure, though their capacity grew 19.6 percent during the year. Africa posted its strongest annual increase on record, up 15.9 percent to 82 gigawatts.
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Extract
"By the end of 2025, renewables accounted for 49% of global installed power capacity, and comprised 85.6% of annual global power additions, largely due to significant growth in solar and wind power." "Continuing the trend reported in recent years, 2025 saw the largest increase in renewable energy capacity to date – with the addition of 692 gigawatts (GW) of renewable capacity – expanding the stock of renewable power by 15.5%. Solar power alone accounted for nearly three-quarters of renewable additions, with a record 510 GW added during the year; while 159 GW of wind energy was added." "However, significant disparities remain in deployment. China, the United States and the European Union together account for 550 GW (or 79.5%) of the new renewable capacity installed in 2025; Africa accounted for 11.3 GW (or 1.6%). Despite their capacity growing by 19.6% during the year, small island developing states, with a combined renewable energy capacity of 11 GW, comprise just 0.2% of the worldwide total." "Africa recorded its highest capacity increase in 2025, rising by 15.9% to reach a total of 82 GW, driven by Ethiopia, South Africa and Egypt. Another region that experienced its largest annual growth is the Middle East, which increased by 28.9%, led by Saudi Arabia."
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) · irena-reuse-with-attribution · Read the original
The MyGreenSuit briefing
Commentary by MyGreenSuit, not the words of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Read this alongside Ember, not instead of it. IRENA counts capacity; Ember counts electricity. A gigawatt of solar and a gigawatt of gas do very different amounts of work over a year, so "renewables are 49 percent of installed capacity" is true and considerably less impressive than it sounds.
The number that does matter: China, the United States and the European Union installed 79.5 percent of the world's new renewable capacity in 2025. Africa got 1.6 percent.
That concentration is the part with consequences. It means global cost curves are being set by the procurement decisions of three markets, and it means the places with the fastest-growing electricity demand are largely not the places building. Africa's own growth was strong in percentage terms, up 15.9 percent to 82 GW — but 82 GW is roughly a quarter's work in China.
If you take one thing: the transition is currently a story about three grids, and nobody has a plan for the rest.