Solar panels and wind turbines have never been installed so quickly. However, the world economy remains very largely structured around oil, gas and coal. This is the main paradox highlighted by the first “Renewables-Based Economy Tracker”, published this Thursday by REN21. The report is no longer content with measuring installed gigawatts: it seeks to determine whether renewables are really transforming industry, infrastructure, investments, energy uses and the resilience of economies. His verdict is unambiguous: technology advances faster than the economic systems that must accommodate it. “The world is entering a new energy era, but the economy has not yet caught up with technology,” summary Rana Adib, executive director of REN21.
885 additional GW in a single year
The growth in renewable electricity capacity remains spectacular. In 2025, around 885 GW were installed worldwide, bringing the global fleet to nearly 5,655 GW. Photovoltaic solar power largely dominates this expansion. It alone represents 697 GW of new capacity, for a global total estimated at 2,889 GW. Wind power now reaches 1,305 GW, while hydropower totals around 1,280 GW. According to REN21, renewables now account for between 85% and 90% of new electrical capacities put into service worldwide. But this success masks a strong geographic concentration. China accounted for 53% of all renewable capacity added in 2025, about half of new solar installations and almost 73% of wind additions. In many emerging countries, the cost of capital, weak networks and insufficient industrial capacity continue to slow down projects. “Renewables are now the main source of new electricity production capacity. The next challenge is to evolve the infrastructure, mechanisms, etc. quickly enough.
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