The world installed a record 814 GW of new solar and wind capacity in 2025, up 17% from 696 GW in 2024, according to Ember
Solar led growth with 647 GW added, 11% higher than the previous year, taking total global solar capacity to about 2,900 GW by the end of 2025
Wind installations increased 47% year-on-year to 167 GW, bringing global cumulative wind capacity to around 1,300 GW
The world installed a record 814 GW of new solar and wind energy capacity in 2025, representing a 17% jump from 696 GW deployed in the previous year, says global energy think tank Ember.
Solar led with 647 GW or 11% more than the previous year’s 582 GW, reaching a cumulative of around 2,900 GW at the end of December 2025. Ember had earlier pegged H1 2025 global solar installations at 380 GW, which means another 267 GW came online in H2 (see Ember: Global Solar PV Installations Hit 380 GW In H1 2025).
Wind deployment also rose 47% year-on-year (YoY), expanding from 113 GW in 2024 to 167 GW in 2025, to a cumulative of around 1,300 GW.
Last year's additions were of course led by China's 378 GW DC, says Ember while the European Union (EU) contributed 65 GW DC, and the US 45 GW DC.
“The scale and speed of solar’s expansion is unlike anything seen before in the power sector. Along with accelerating capacity additions for wind, these technologies are on track to become the backbone of the global electricity supply,” said Ember Data Analyst Leonard Heberer.
According to Ember’s calculations, for every 1 GW of wind capacity, the world installed almost 4 GW of new solar capacity last year, thus cementing its dominant position in the global power system.
Wind and solar capacity added in 2025 can generate about 1,046 TWh annually, enough to replace over 1/7th of global gas power generation or 1.8 times Qatar’s LNG exports, according to Ember. This is equal to roughly $138 billion in gas imports at current prices.
Since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, global wind and solar generation has avoided about 330 TWh of gas-fired electricity, saving over $40 billion in potential gas costs, it states.
“The continuing escalation in the Middle East is a stark reminder of the risks of dependence on imported oil and gas,” adds Ember Energy Strategist Kingsmill Bond. “Solar, wind, and batteries give importers a genuine path to energy security, one that is cheaper, faster to deploy and doesn’t come with geopolitical strings attached.”