NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – By the end of 2025, the worldwide renewable energy capacity reached 5.15 terawatts after another year of record-breaking expansion. During 2025, an additional 693 gigawatts of renewable capacity was added globally. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, the annual growth now needs to average around 1,200 GW through 2030. This pace is necessary to achieve the overall goal of 11.2 TW of installed renewable energy capacity by the end of the decade.
This target is part of the UAE Consensus established at COP28 in Dubai. Nearly 200 nations backed initiatives to triple the world’s renewable capacity and double the rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030. The latest evaluation measures progress against both objectives based on 2025 data. It was conducted in collaboration with the COP31 Presidency of Türkiye and the Global Renewables Alliance, and was unveiled during Climate Week NYC.
In 2025, renewable capacity grew by more than 15.5%, continuing the rapid expansion seen in recent years. The global additions reached about 582 GW in 2024 before rising to 693 GW last year. An earlier assessment projected that roughly 1,122 GW needed to be added annually from 2025 to 2030. The revised figure has increased to approximately 1,200 GW per year, as the remaining timeframe to meet the goal has shortened.
Significant Increase Needed in Grid Investment
The assessment indicates that from 2026 through 2030, investments in electricity networks and system flexibility must reach nearly $1 trillion annually. In 2025, global expenditure in these sectors was around $525 billion. Additionally, about 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 vital infrastructure for supporting higher renewable electricity levels.
Between 2024 and 2025, battery storage costs declined by approximately 30%, and by about 95% since 2010. Solar projects coupled with storage are increasingly important in new energy developments. In 2025, about one-quarter of utility-scale solar projects worldwide incorporated systems designed for round-the-clock renewable electricity. IRENA also noted that over 90% of new utility-scale renewable projects commissioned last year generated electricity below the cost of the cheapest new fossil-fuel alternative.
Progress in Energy Efficiency Falls Behind
In 2025, global energy intensity improved by roughly 2%, falling short of the approximately 4% annual improvement required under the UAE Consensus pathway. The goal aims to double the average yearly rate of global energy efficiency enhancement by 2030. The assessment highlights increased electrification and broader adoption of efficient electrical technologies as key components of this target. It also links faster efficiency gains with stronger grids, increased storage capacity, and more adaptable electricity systems.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for more urgent action on energy transition challenges and increased investment flows to developing economies. IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera stated that while renewable deployment has advanced, grid development and energy efficiency remain below necessary levels. The global capacity goal remains at 11.2 TW by 2030. With 693 GW added in 2025, last year’s expansion is still 507 GW short of the annual addition now needed through the end of the decade.