In its latest report Renewable Capacity Statistics 2025, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows another significant increase in renewable power capacity during 2024, reaching 4 448 gigawatts (GW). The addition of 585 GW capacity last year amounts to a 92.5% share of the total capacity expansion, and a record 15.1% rate of annual growth.
With the addition of 585 GW of new renewable power capacity, renewables accounted for over 90% of total power expansion globally in 2024.
Although 2024 marks yet another benchmark in the development of new renewable energy capacity, IRENA notes that progress still falls short of the 11.2 terawatts needed to align with the global goal to triple installed renewable energy capacity by 2030. To reach this goal, renewable capacity now needs to expand by 16.6 % annually until 2030.
In addition, the progress achieved again reflects significant geographic disparities. As in previous years, most of the increase occurred in Asia, with the greatest share being contributed by China – almost 64% of the global added capacity – while Central America and the Caribbean contributed the least at only 3.2%. The G7 and G20 countries respectively accounted for 14.3% and 90.3% of new capacity in 2024.
IRENA Director-General, Francesco La Camera commented: “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 recurring challenges of great regional disparities and the ticking clock as the 2030 deadline is imminent.
“With economic competitiveness and energy security becoming 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 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 the countries of the Global South,” he added.
Noting the remarkable progress, 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 benefit fully from cheap, clean renewable power.”
The report released by IRENA shows that solar and wind energy continued to expand the most, jointly accounting for 96.6% of all net renewable additions in 2024. Over three-quarters of the capacity expansion was in solar energy which increased by 32.2%, reaching 1 865 GW, followed by wind energy which grew by 11.1%.
The large net decommissioning of non-renewable power in some regions has contributed to the upward trend of renewables capacity. However, more needs to be done to reach the goal of tripling renewables capacity by 2030 and the Paris Agreement. Over the past few years, IRENA has been pressing for clear, quantifiable renewable capacity targets in NDCs 3.0. To this end, the agency has been assisting in the enhancement and implementation of its members’ NDCs with a focus on the energy sector through its country engagement.
Technology highlights
- Solar: solar photovoltaics increased by 451.9 GW last year. China added 278 GW to the total expansion, followed by India, 24.5 GW.
- Hydropower (excluding pumped storage hydropower): capacity reached 1 283 GW, demonstrating a notable rebound from 2023, driven by China. Ethiopia, Indonesia, Nepal Pakistan, Tanzania, and Vietnam added more than 0.5 GW each.
- Wind: wind energy expansion declined slightly, to a total of 1 133 GW capacity by the end of 2024. Expansion was again dominated by China and the United States (US).
- Bioenergy: expansion rebounded in 2024, with an increase of 4.6 GW of capacity compared to an increase of 3.0 GW in 2023. The growth was driven by China and France each adding 1.3 GW.
- Geothermal: geothermal energy increased by 0.4 GW overall, led by New Zealand, followed by Indonesia, Türkiye, and the US.
- Off-grid electricity (excluding Eurasia, Europe and North America): capacity expansion nearly tripled, growing by 1.7 GW to reach 14.3 GW. Growth was dominated by off-grid solar energy which reached 6.3 GW in 2024.
For more information visit: www.irena.org