NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – Across the globe, renewable energy capacity reached 5.15 terawatts by the close of 2025, marking another year of record-breaking expansion. The world added 693 gigawatts of renewable capacity during this period. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, the annual growth rate must now average approximately 1,200 GW up to 2030. Achieving this is crucial to meet the global goal of 11.2 TW of installed renewable energy capacity by the decade’s end.
This target was established as part of the UAE Consensus endorsed at COP28 in Dubai. Almost 200 countries backed initiatives to triple worldwide renewable capacity and to double the pace of energy efficiency improvements by 2030. The latest evaluation, which uses data from 2025, measures progress toward these objectives. It was created in partnership with the COP31 Presidency of Türkiye and the Global Renewables Alliance and was unveiled during Climate Week NYC.
Renewable energy capacity saw an increase of more than 15.5% in 2025, continuing the rapid growth trend seen in recent years. In 2024, global additions were around 582 GW before climbing to 693 GW last year. The previous annual assessment indicated that about 1,122 GW would need to be added each year from 2025 through 2030. However, with the remaining timeframe shortening, the revised requirement has risen to roughly 1,200 GW per year.
Investment in Grid Infrastructure Must Grow Significantly
To support this expansion, annual investments in electricity networks and system flexibility need to approach $1 trillion from 2026 to 2030, according to the report. In 2025, global spending in these sectors was approximately $525 billion. Additionally, about 2,500 GW of advanced renewable, storage, and large-scale electricity projects are pending grid connections worldwide. The report highlights transmission, distribution, battery storage, and digital systems as critical infrastructure to accommodate higher renewable electricity levels.
Costs for battery storage have decreased by roughly 30% between 2024 and 2025 and about 95% compared to 2010. Solar projects integrated with storage have gained prominence in new power developments. In 2025, systems designed to deliver continuous renewable electricity accounted for roughly a quarter of all utility-scale solar projects commissioned globally. Furthermore, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for quicker progress on energy transition barriers and increased investments in developing economies. The report also notes that more than 90% of new utility-scale renewable projects commissioned last year produced electricity below the cost of the cheapest new fossil-fuel alternative.
Progress in Energy Efficiency Lags Behind
In 2025, the global improvement in energy intensity was approximately 2%, short of the roughly 4% annually required to stay on the UAE Consensus pathway. The target aims to double the current rate of global energy efficiency gains by 2030. The assessment highlights increased electrification and broader use of efficient electrical technologies as key strategies for reaching this goal. It also connects faster efficiency improvements with more resilient grids, expanded storage options, and more adaptable electricity systems.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged for swifter action to overcome energy transition bottlenecks and to boost investments in developing nations. Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, observed that while renewable deployment has advanced, progress in grid development and energy efficiency remains below the necessary levels. The global capacity target of 11.2 TW by 2030 remains unchanged. With 693 GW added in 2025, last year’s expansion still fell short by 507 GW compared to the annual additions now needed through the end of the decade.