How solar and wind are reshaping the global energy system—and what’s still needed to leave fossil fuels behind
The energy system is changing fast, and it will continue to grow. Meeting that growth while replacing fossil-based power requires a rapid, coordinated shift in how the world produces and delivers electricity. This is not a long-term ambition; it is an immediate necessity.
ReNew2030 exists to help speed up this shift by supporting renewables deployment where it matters most: in places where demand is growing quickly. By removing systemic barriers, mobilising coordinated action with partners, we aim to help more communities benefit from the energy transition.
Over the past two decades, renewable energy has advanced rapidly, led by solar and wind. These technologies sit at the heart of ReNew2030’s mission, but key barriers remain and faster action is needed. The data below shows where progress is happening and what it will take to achieve our tripling goal.
By 2025, renewables supplied about one-third of global electricity, overtaking coal as the top power source. This milestone was driven largely by wind and solar, which have led new generation growth since 2023. Solar, in particular, grew by 306 TWh (+31%), its largest increase on record. Despite economic and geopolitical uncertainty, momentum continued into 2026, pushing renewable generation to record levels and showing that the energy transition is a lasting structural shift rather than a temporary trend.
Global renewable capacity has expanded by more than 15% in recent years, driven overwhelmingly by wind and solar, which together account for over 90% of new power capacity additions worldwide. Solar has grown faster than any other technology over the past decade, moving from a small base to the largest source of new capacity additions in recent years, as sharp cost declines, and strong policy support accelerated deployment.
In 2025, the world saw 460 GW of new solar PV capacity and 150 GW of new wind capacity installed globally, exceeding 2024 levels. While onshore projects continue to dominate wind growth, offshore installations are also expanding, reinforcing wind’s expanding role in the global power mix.
The story about the world’s energy systems is not just about how much demand is growing — it is about where. Today, most new electricity demand comes from emerging and developing economies, but the drivers vary by country – shaped by economic activity, access to electricity, and how people use energy. Many of these countries are also moving fastest on solar deployment and electrification.
Looking ahead, around 80% of energy demand growth to the mid-2030s is expected in solar-rich regions — areas with fast-rising demand, high emissions intensity and significant energy access needs, directly aligned with where ReNew2030 deploys its efforts. The geography of demand is shifting, and so is the opportunity to accelerate a cleaner, more equitable energy future.
At COP28, countries committed to tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030, establishing a key benchmark for climate action. While renewable deployment has accelerated in recent years, current progress is still insufficient to meet this goal. Reaching around 11,000 GW of installed renewable capacity by the end of the decade will require a much faster pace build-out and a major increase in power sector investment – around $2 trillion per year on average by 2030. Scaling investment at this level is not only critical for reducing emissions but also represents a significant economic opportunity.
Hear from leading voices from the energy ecosystem about what it will take to power a cleaner, more resilient future.
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Learn from Sebastian Kind how Argentina scaled-up renewables, from almost zero wind and solar to peaking at nearly 40% of its electricity, in just six years.
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Listen to Kala Constantino, from one of our implementation partners, as she shares how renewable energy is transforming the Philippines.
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