The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reports that global solar PV capacity surged by 510GW in 2025, driving total renewable energy capacity beyond the 5,000GW milestone. Solar power dominated the energy landscape, accounting for three-quarters of all new renewable additions and nearly doubling the total operational capacity of wind energy. While global adoption reached record highs, growth remains geographically concentrated in China, the United States, and the European Union. However, emerging markets like the Middle East are showing rapid acceleration, with Saudi Arabia leading a significant regional expansion in solar infrastructure.
According to the “Renewable Capacity Statistics 2026” report, renewable energy represented a staggering 85.6% of all new electricity generation capacity commissioned globally last year. Of the 692GW of green energy added to the grid, solar power contributed 511GW, with solar PV technology making up almost the entirety of that figure. This surge brings the world’s total operational renewable capacity to 5,149GW, with solar now claiming the largest share at 2,391GW—far outpacing wind power’s 1,291GW.
IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera highlighted that the consistent expansion of renewable power is fueled by its increasing economic competitiveness and resilience. Since the start of the millennium, green energy installations have set new records nearly every year. Despite this momentum, the report points out a widening gap in global deployment. In 2025, approximately 79.5% of all new renewable installations were localized within just three regions: China, the United States, and the European Union. China alone currently manages half of the world’s total operational solar capacity.
While the concentration in major economies persists, the Middle East is emerging as a high-growth corridor. The region saw a 28.9% year-on-year increase in renewable capacity, adding over 12GW of solar energy between 2024 and 2025. This marks the most significant annual expansion for the region to date, resulting in a nearly 24-fold increase in Middle Eastern solar capacity since 2016.
Saudi Arabia has become a primary engine for this regional shift, now boasting 11.9GW of cumulative solar capacity after adding 5GW in 2024 alone. The Kingdom’s progress is supported by international partnerships and large-scale infrastructure developments, such as the recently commissioned 349MW solar PV project by Elsewedy Electric. Collaborative efforts with global entities, including Turkish firms and American solar module tracker manufacturers, continue to bolster the nation’s energy transition goals.