510 gigawatts of new solar capacity in twelve months. That is the global record for 2025, documented by the International Renewable Energy Agency IRENA in its Renewable Capacity Statistics 2026. For comparison: it took until 2018 for total cumulative solar capacity worldwide to first reach that figure. What was then the result of four decades of solar development, the world delivered in a single calendar year.
The Numbers Behind the Record
In total, 692 gigawatts of renewable energy were newly installed worldwide in 2025, an increase of 15.5 percent over the previous year. Solar dominates the build-out with roughly 75 percent: 510 of the 692 gigawatts were photovoltaic. Wind contributed a further 159 gigawatts. Together, solar and wind account for 96.8 percent of all newly installed renewable capacity globally.
Cumulative global solar capacity now stands at roughly 2,400 gigawatts. Total installed renewable capacity reaches 5,149 gigawatts, equal to 49 percent of the world's installed power generation capacity.
Where the Build-Out Is Happening
Asia dominates global additions: 74.2 percent of all newly installed renewable capacity was on the Asian continent, driven above all by China, India and the Gulf states. But regions previously less in focus are catching up. Africa reported its highest-ever registered capacity growth in 2025 at plus 15.9 percent, driven by Ethiopia, South Africa and Egypt. The Middle East recorded 28.9 percent growth, led by Saudi Arabia.
IRENA Director General Francesco La Camera said the figures demonstrate the resilience of the energy transition even in the face of economic uncertainty. Renewables, he said, are today the cheapest option for new power generation capacity worldwide.
Why Solar Is Outpacing Everything Else
Solar modules today cost more than 90 percent less than in 2010, as the International Energy Agency IEA has documented in several reports. New solar capacity is now cheaper to build than any fossil alternative in most countries. Add to this its scalability: solar plants can be planned and installed within months, from small rooftop systems to utility-scale projects of several hundred megawatts. Wind, especially offshore, requires significantly longer planning and construction times.
What 49 Percent Capacity Means
An important distinction: installed capacity and actual electricity generation are not the same. A gigawatt of solar capacity produces roughly 1,000 to 2,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year depending on region, a capacity factor of 10 to 23 percent. So the 49 percent installed renewable capacity does not mean that nearly half of actual electricity is renewable. The IEA estimates the real share of renewables in global electricity generation for 2025 at around 35 percent.
What to Expect in 2026
IRENA and other energy research organizations expect global solar build-out to remain at a high level. Forecasts project another 400 gigawatts or more of new solar capacity from photovoltaics alone. Whether the growth rate of 15.5 percent can be sustained depends on supply-chain stability, grid expansion and political conditions in the growth markets.