IRENA: 1.2 TW Annual Renewable Additions Needed by 2030

Global renewable power capacity additions reached a record level in 2025, but deployment needs to accelerate further to meet the UAE Consensus target of tripling renewable capacity to 11.2 TW by 2030, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

IRENA said that 692 GW of renewable power capacity was added globally in 2025, taking total installed capacity to about 5.15 TW. The annual addition represented a 15.5 percent increase in renewable capacity.

To reach the 2030 target, the world now needs to add an average of about 1.2 TW of renewable capacity annually through 2030. The agency said  that the pace of deployment needs to be accompanied by faster investment in grids, energy storage and other flexibility measures.

Solar PV continued to account for the largest share of renewable capacity additions. IRENA said that solar PV additions reached about 513 GW in 2025, accounting for roughly three-quarters of new renewable capacity added during the year.

The agency said that solar PV represented 46.3 percent of global installed renewable capacity at the end of 2025, with cumulative capacity reaching about 2.39 TW.

IRENA also highlighted the growing role of battery storage as renewable deployment increases. Battery storage additions rose significantly in 2025, supported by falling costs and the need to manage variable renewable generation.

The agency said that battery storage can help absorb surplus renewable electricity, supply power when needed, support grid stability and reduce congestion. It also noted that the cost of fully installed and commissioned battery storage projects has declined sharply over the past decade.

Solar-plus-storage is also becoming increasingly important as power systems require greater flexibility and more reliable renewable supply. IRENA said  that falling storage costs are improving the economics of combining renewable generation with batteries.

However, the agency identified electricity grids as a key constraint on faster renewable deployment. Grid expansion and modernisation have not kept pace with the growth of renewable generation in some markets, resulting in connection delays and increasing pressure on existing infrastructure.

IRENA called for faster development of transmission and distribution networks, alongside regulatory frameworks that enable storage to be deployed with renewable projects. It also highlighted demand response, interconnections and other flexibility measures as important to integrating higher shares of renewable electricity.

The agency said that meeting the 2030 renewable energy target will require increased investment, infrastructure development, supportive policy frameworks, stronger supply chains and additional skilled workers.