The Renewable Energy Statistics 2025 released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows that despite renewables capacity growing by over 15% in 2024, the growth gap widens across regions.
Over 70% of renewable energy growth in 2024 occurred in Asia, while Africa and other regions lagged, according to IRENA data. Despite a 15% global capacity increase, the regional gap widened. Asia led with 71% of new capacity, followed by Europe (12.3%) and North America (7.8%). Africa, Eurasia, Central America, and the Caribbean together accounted for just 2.8%. Africa’s capacity grew by 7.2%, far below its potential.
Commenting on the data update, IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera said: “The renewable energy boom is transforming global energy markets, driving economies and creating vast investment opportunities. However, the growing regional divide highlights that not everyone is benefiting equally from this transition. Countries and regions that attract substantial investment in renewables are seeing enhanced energy security, increased industrial activity, and new jobs, fueling broader socioeconomic development.”
La Camera added: “Bridging the divide and closing the investment gap between countries and regions is critical. It requires targeted policies, international financing, and partnerships that unlock capital and technology where they are needed most. By aligning investment flows with policy frameworks, we can ensure that the green transition becomes a powerful engine for resilience and sustainable economic growth worldwide.”
Solar and wind energy dominated, accounting for 97.5% of net additions in 2024, with solar growing by 453 GW and wind by 114 GW. Renewables now equal fossil fuels in installed capacity, at 46.2%, making them a smart investment. The global shift to renewables is increasingly inevitable, but its massive human and economic benefits are not yet being shared across all countries and regions,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell.
The “Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2025”, published on June 25, 2025, by the International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), World Bank, and World Health Organization (WHO), indicates that the number of people without access to electricity declined from 958 million to 666 million between 2023 and 2025, and the number of people without access to clean cooking declined from 2.7 to 2.1 billion in the same period.
Central and Southern Asia have made major strides, reducing the electricity access gap from 414 million in 2010 to 27 million in 2023. However, sub-Saharan Africa remains a critical focus, a region that accounts for 85% of people living without access to electricity. Scaling up investments in solutions such as mini-grids and off-grid solar, prioritising vulnerable populations, and removing regulatory barriers are vital to closing the gap.
/IEA, IRENA/