Solar energy alone expanded by 32.2% according to IRENA

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has released its Renewable Capacity Statistics 2025 report, revealing a substantial increase in renewable energy capacity in 2024, reaching 4,448 GW

The year saw an additional 585 GW of renewable power, accounting for 92.5% of total capacity expansion—the highest annual growth rate on record at 15.1%.

Despite this milestone, the report highlights that current progress remains insufficient to meet the global target of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030.

To align with this objective, annual renewable expansion must accelerate to 16.6% per year, up from the current pace.

Geographic disparities in renewable energy development remain stark. Asia led global growth, with China alone contributing nearly 64% of the newly installed capacity.

Meeting Paris Agreement goals

By contrast, Central America and the Caribbean accounted for just 3.2%. The G7 nations made up 14.3% of new capacity, while the G20 was responsible for 90.3%.

Solar and wind power continued to dominate the sector, making up 96.6% of all new renewable capacity additions.

Solar energy alone expanded by 32.2%, reaching 1,865 GW, while wind power grew by 11.1%.

The report also notes a decline in non-renewable power generation in some regions, helping to reinforce the shift toward renewables.

However, IRENA stresses that more ambitious action is needed to meet the 2030 targets and the Paris Agreement commitments.

The agency has been advocating for clearer renewable energy targets in the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and is actively working with member states to enhance their implementation strategies, with a focus on the energy sector.

IRENA director-general, Francesco La Camera, said, “The continuous growth of renewables we witness each year is evidence that renewables are economically viable and readily deployable. Each year they keep breaking their own expansion records, but we also face the same challenges of great regional disparities and the ticking clock as the 2030 deadline is imminent.”

“With economic competitiveness and energy security being increasingly a major global concern today, expanding renewable power capacity at speed equals tapping into business opportunities and addressing energy security quickly and sustainably. I call on governments to leverage on the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0) as an opportunity to outline a clear blueprint of their renewable energy ambitions, and on the international community to enhance collaborations in support of the ambitions of Global South’s countries,” he added.

Commenting on the remarkable progress, the United Nations secretary-general, António Guterres, said, “Renewable energy is powering down the fossil fuel age. Record-breaking growth is creating jobs, lowering energy bills and cleaning our air. Renewables renew economies. But the shift to clean energy must be faster and fairer – with all countries given the chance to fully benefit from cheap, clean renewable power.”

The surge was primarily fueled by a sharp rise in electricity consumption worldwide

Global energy demand witnessed an accelerated increase in 2024, growing at nearly twice the average rate of the past decade, according to the latest edition of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Global Energy Review.

The surge was primarily fueled by a sharp rise in electricity consumption worldwide, with renewables and natural gas meeting most of the additional demand.

The report reveals that global energy demand increased by 2.2% in 2024, outpacing the annual average growth of 1.3% recorded between 2013 and 2023.

Emerging and developing economies were responsible for over 80% of this increase, despite China’s energy consumption slowing to under 3% growth—half of its 2023 rate.

Advanced economies, which had seen declining energy demand in recent years, also recorded a slight rebound of nearly 1%.

Electricity consumption played a pivotal role in driving this growth, expanding by almost 1,100 terawatt-hours (4.3%)—nearly double the average annual increase over the past decade.

Extreme weather conditions, particularly record-breaking temperatures, contributed significantly to this surge, as cooling demand soared in various countries.

The growing adoption of electric vehicles, data centres, and artificial intelligence further fueled electricity demand.

Renewables and nuclear energy accounted for the majority of the additional power supply.

The deployment of new renewable energy capacity reached an all-time high of approximately 700 gigawatts, marking the 22^nd consecutive record-breaking year.

Nuclear energy also saw its fifth-highest capacity expansion in the past 30 years.

Combined, these two energy sources contributed 80% of the increase in global electricity generation and, for the first time, accounted for 40% of total global electricity output.

“There are many uncertainties in the world today and different narratives about energy – but this new data-driven IEA report puts some clear facts on the table about what is happening globally,” said IEA executive director Dr. Fatih Birol. “What is certain is that electricity use is growing rapidly, pulling overall energy demand along with it to such an extent that it is enough to reverse years of declining energy consumption in advanced economies. The result is that demand for all major fuels and energy technologies increased in 2024, with renewables covering the largest share of the growth, followed 2 by natural gas. And the strong expansion of solar, wind, nuclear power and EVs is increasingly loosening the links between economic growth and emissions.”

Slowing emissions

Despite the overall rise in energy consumption, the report highlights a growing decoupling of carbon dioxide emissions from economic growth.

While global CO₂ emissions increased by 0.8% to reach 37.8 billion tonnes, the rapid expansion of clean energy technologies helped mitigate further emissions growth.

Since 2019, the deployment of solar PV, wind, nuclear power, electric vehicles, and heat pumps has prevented 2.6 billion tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually—equivalent to 7% of global emissions.

Emissions from advanced economies declined by 1.1% in 2024, reaching levels last recorded five decades ago, even as their combined GDP has tripled over that period.

Most of the global emissions growth came from emerging and developing economies, excluding China. While China’s emissions growth slowed, the country’s per capita emissions now exceed those of advanced economies by 16% and are nearly twice the global average.

“From slowing global oil demand growth and rising deployment of electric cars to the rapidly expanding role of electricity and the increasing decoupling of emissions from economic growth, many of the key trends the IEA has identified ahead of the curve are showing up clearly in the data for 2024,” Dr. Birol said.

Also read: Rooftop solar could reduce global warming, new study finds

A bird's eye view of a shipping container vessel docked in a port.

The Port of Duqm Company has signed an MoU with Oman Oil Marketing Company with the intention of co-developing and implementing solar systems, EV charging and biofuels at the Port of Duqm.

Signing the MoU on behalf of the Port of Duqm Company was its CEO, Reggy Vermeulen, who said, "We are committed to developing sustainable energy solutions at the port and this agreement strengthens our efforts towards achieving an environmentally friendly operational environment that aligns with Oman Vision 2040.

"Our partnership with OOMCO will open new avenues in the clean energy sector, contributing to the transformation of Port of Duqm into a sustainable logistics gateway at both the regional and international levels."

Tariq Mohammed al Junaidi, Oman Oil Marketing Company (OOMCO) CEO, was also present at the MoU signing.

"At Oman Oil Marketing Company, we are committed to providing innovative and sustainable energy solutions beyond fuel. Our advancements in solar energy, EV charging infrastructure and biodiesel support Oman's transition to clean energy.

"This MoU with Port of Duqm marks a key step in enabling the port to optimise energy use, reduce carbon emissions and enhance sustainability."

About 286,000 sq km of the world is covered with rooftops. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

According to new study from the University of Sussex, installing solar panels on rooftops may reduce global temperatures by 0.13 degrees.

The study also suggested that this could end up supplying the majority of the world's electricity.

About 286,000 sq km of the world—an area comparable to that of Italy or New Zealand—is covered with rooftops.

According to the study, photovoltaic solar (rooftop PV) could provide 19,500 TWh of power annually if every appropriate roof was employed. If combined with load shifting and battery-electric storage, this would nearly entirely replace fossil fuel-based electricity and cover 65% of current world demand.

The impact of widespread solar deployment by 2050 was simulated by the researchers using sophisticated climate models. 0.13 degrees Celsius is a substantial portion of global warming. According to a 2023 Nature study, an additional 140 million people will be exposed to harmful heat for every 0.1 degree of warming beyond current levels.

The researchers urge politicians to give this technology top priority, arguing that solar electricity is more cost-effective for taxpayers than nuclear.

A shift toward PV

University of Sussex climate and policy researcher Prof Felix Creutzig, said, “Solar is now outcompeting nuclear power in cost, deployment speed and environmental risks. Given its immediate carbon reduction benefits governments should consider shifting incentives toward rooftop PV instead of nuclear. This goes for cooler countries like the UK as well as those with more obvious solar potential.

“Beyond carbon savings, reducing fossil fuel dependence also means cleaner air and better energy security. With so much untapped potential in solar it’s hard to see how governments can justify investing in nuclear, or as yet unproven carbon capture projects.”

Over the past ten years, the cost of solar power has drastically decreased. According to IRENA data, new nuclear projects like Small Modular Reactors are expected to cost between £100 and £150 per MWh, whereas the levelized cost of power for solar is now between GBP£30 and £50 per MWh.

In order to place solar panels where they can be most effectively utilised, the paper promotes international cooperation. Only 1% of rooftop PV installations are in Africa, despite the region having the greatest solar energy resources in the world. This underscores the need for investment. East Asia has the most potential for rooftop PV to mitigate climate change due to its high carbon intensity and vast building stocks.

Meanwhile, North America and Europe, despite lower solar intensity, have a high combined installation potential of over 4,300 GW or 25% of global capacity based on their high building stock.

According to the International Energy Agency, the UAE's low-emissions power generation share increased from 3% in 2019 to 35% last year due to the growth of nuclear and solar power. While the UAE is continuing to grow its nuclear capacity, its solar PV capacity continues to grow as well. 

Also read: UAE, France partner for clean energy expansion