NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – By the end of 2025, global renewable power capacity reached 5.15 terawatts, marking another year of record-breaking expansion. Over the course of that year, an additional 693 gigawatts of renewable capacity was added worldwide. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, annual growth must now average around 1,200 GW until 2030. This pace is essential to achieve the global goal of installing 11.2 TW of renewable energy capacity by the end of the decade.
This objective is part of the UAE Consensus reached at COP28 in Dubai, where nearly 200 nations endorsed efforts to triple global renewable capacity and double the rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030. The latest assessment evaluates progress toward these aims using data from 2025. It was prepared with the COP31 Presidency of Türkiye and the Global Renewables Alliance, and was unveiled during Climate Week NYC.
Renewable capacity grew by over 15.5% in 2025, continuing the rapid expansion seen in recent years. In 2024, global additions were approximately 582 GW before increasing to 693 GW in 2025. An earlier report estimated that about 1,122 GW needed to be added annually from 2025 to 2030. However, the current requirement has been revised upward to roughly 1,200 GW per year, as the remaining window to meet the target has shortened.
Significant Investment Needed for Grid Modernization
According to the assessment, annual investments approaching $1 trillion in electricity networks and system flexibility will be necessary from 2026 through 2030. In 2025, global spending in these sectors reached around $525 billion. Additionally, approximately 2,500 GW of advanced renewable, storage, and large-scale electricity projects are waiting for grid connections worldwide. The report highlights transmission, distribution, battery storage, and digital systems as critical infrastructure to support increased renewable electricity generation.
Between 2024 and 2025, battery storage costs fell by approximately 30%, and have decreased by about 95% since 2010. Solar projects integrated with storage are playing a growing role in new power developments. In 2025, systems capable of providing continuous renewable electricity made up roughly one-quarter of utility-scale solar installations worldwide. IRENA also noted that over 90% of new utility-scale renewable projects commissioned last year produced electricity at a lower cost than the cheapest new fossil-fuel alternatives.
Progress on Energy Efficiency Remains Slow
In 2025, global energy intensity improved by approximately 2%, falling short of the nearly 4% annual improvement needed under the UAE Consensus pathway. The goal aims to double the average yearly rate of global energy efficiency improvements by 2030. The assessment emphasizes increased electrification and the broader adoption of efficient electrical technologies as key components of this goal. It also links faster efficiency gains to stronger grids, additional storage, and more adaptable electricity systems.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged for expedited action to address bottlenecks in the energy transition and to boost investment flows toward developing economies. IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera stated that while renewable deployment had advanced, grid development and energy efficiency remained below the necessary levels. The worldwide capacity target remains set at 11.2 TW by 2030. With 693 GW added in 2025, last year’s expansion still falls 507 GW short of the annual addition now required through the end of the decade.