Signal IEA Global Energy Review 2026: renewable capacity additions hit 800 GW, a 23rd consecutive record

Summary

According to the IEA's Global Energy Review 2026, global annual renewable capacity additions rose 16% in 2025 to reach 800 GW, marking the 23rd consecutive year of new expansion records despite supply chain strains, grid connection delays, financial pressures and policy shifts. Solar PV accounted for 605 GW of the total, wind for 159 GW, and other renewables for 33 GW, with solar surpassing 600 GW of annual additions for the first time and cumulative global solar PV capacity reaching around 2,800 GW. China alone added nearly 500 GW, over 60% of global growth, commissioning almost 370 GW of solar PV (up 13% year on year) and 117 GW of wind (up 48%), driven partly by a shift from fixed tariffs to competitive auctions that prompted a rush of solar installations. The European Union added a record near 85 GW of new renewable capacity, about 10% more than the prior year. Battery storage was the fastest-growing power technology, with additions rising roughly 40% to almost 110 GW, while global energy demand growth slowed to 1.3% year on year, with solar alone meeting more than 25% of that demand growth.