With a total 5.15 terawatts (TW) of renewable power capacity installed at the end of 2025, the world can still close in on the gap to meet the globally agreed renewable energy goal but must move much faster.
But to meet the global target of tripling renewables to 11.2 TW by 2030, installed capacity must more than double today's levels. Despite a record 693 gigawatts (GW) of new renewables power added in 2025, the annual growth rate would have to accelerate to 1 200 GW on average between 2026 and 2030.
Released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the COP31 Presidency Türkiye, and the Global Renewables Alliance (GRA) during Climate Week NYC, the report is the third assessment of progress towards the landmark energy goals set by the UAE Consensus at COP28.
Delivering on the UAE Consensus: Tracking progress toward tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 also shows that energy intensity improved by around 2% in 2025, far below the 4% needed to meet the UAE Consensus energy savings goal.
The report highlights progress and opportunities alongside persistent bottlenecks in investment, grids and electrification, urging policymakers to take bolder action ahead of the UN Climate Conference COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye:
- Upgrade grids: Invest nearly USD 1 trillion annually between 2026-2030, more than double 2025 levels.
- Deploy efficient electric technologies: Scale batteries, storage and flexibility to meet rising demand reliably.
- Boost 24/7 renewables: Combine solar, wind and storage to get firm, cost-competitive, around-the-clock power.
- Harness artificial intelligence (AI): Use digitalisation and AI to align rising electricity demand with clean supply and smarter system operations.
António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, said: "Renewable energy records are being smashed year after year as the clean energy revolution accelerates. But we must go further and faster to clear the bottlenecks that delay the transition, drive investment to developing countries, and break our addiction to volatile fossil fuels once and for all."
Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, added: "Renewables can still close the gap towards 2030, but energy efficiency is falling behind, electricity demand is rising faster than expected, and the grid infrastructure has failed to keep pace with renewables deployment. With signs that capacity expansion could also slow, we need a reality check on our ambition towards .5°C. IRENA's revised roadmap makes it clear: we need to move faster, electrify faster and build the systems to support it. That means rapidly scaling and modernising renewable generation, grids, storage and flexibility. Electrification with renewables is one of the most powerful policy levers to accelerate and drive further action."
COP31 President-Designate Murat Kurum said: "This report shows a transition moving forward, but too unevenly. As the COP31 Presidency, we are placing electrification at the heart of our agenda, because it enhances efficiency, reduces our dependence on volatile energy markets, and is essential to achieving the climate goals we have already agreed. In Antalya, we will rally the world behind a new science-based goal: 35% of final energy consumption met by electricity by 2035. Meeting it will demand urgent focus on buildings, transport and industry, underpinned by resilient grids and finance. I invite every actor to align behind this target and bring their solutions to Antalya."
Chris Bowen, Australia's Minister for Climate Change and Energy and President of Negotiations for COP31, added: "The COP28 commitment to triple renewables and double energy efficiency laid out a clear path forward. IRENA's update shows that not enough progress is being made towards that goal - and that we need to accelerate our efforts and support investment in electrification, from modern grids and storage to clean, affordable and reliable electricity. Australia is duly working in close partnership with Türkiye to ensure COP31 is an Electrification COP'."
Ben Backwell, Chair of the Global Renewables Alliance, said: "We're witnessing an irreversible shift toward renewable energy as the dominant growth engine of the economy. The momentum is with us, and this marks the beginning of a new era in the energy transition. Recent geopolitical shocks have threatened economies worldwide and put energy security back at the top of the global agenda. Renewables offer us a path to safety, reducing dependence on imported fuels, creating skilled jobs and stimulating growth. Astonishing progress has been made, with more renewables added in 2025 than ever before - narrowing the gap to reaching the tripling goal, but we still have a way to go to install more capacity by 2030 than in all previous years combined. Governments must change gear and make renewables a national economic priority today. This means working with businesses to address barriers to renewable energy projects, through expanding grids, deploying storage and electrifying homes, transport and wider industry. The prize is enormous: stronger economies, greater energy security and better lives."
Delivering this level of deployment would mark a major structural shift in the global power system, while renewable energy deployment is already scaling at an extraordinary rate.
Renewables is the most cost-competitive source of new electricity in most markets in 2025. Particularly solar technology is experiencing consecutive, record-breaking installation rates to become the backbone of the global energy transition, with net average annual capacity additions expected to double 2025 levels by 2030.
By 2030, variable renewables like solar and wind would overtake total fossil fuel capacity and account for around 62% of total installed power - up from 35% in 2025, confirms the new report.
Similarly, with battery storage costs falling by 30% between 2024-2025 and an incredible 95% since 2010, energy storage is playing a pivotal role in ensuring the successful delivery of reliable, renewables-based electricity systems.
Consequently, around-the-clock, 24/7 renewables, co-located solar and storage, are moving into the mainstream, accounting for around one-quarter of utility-scale solar commissioned globally in 2025.
Electrification plays a key role in meeting the UAE Consensus to double the global rate of energy efficiency improvement by 2030. Crucially, with increased renewable electricity supply, electrification becomes a multiplier for decarbonisation through improved efficiency and reduced emissions intensity of energy use.
Looking beyond 2030, further acceleration will be needed to raise global electrification to 35% by 2035, a roadmap currently under discussion of the COP31 agenda that could provide a clear benchmark for scaling up efficient, renewable-based electrification across end-use sectors.
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