The world is moving toward a new energy age. The newest major global reports, released in 2025, show that renewable energy is growing very fast, and solar power is the main reason. In 2024, the world added 585 gigawatts of renewable power capacity. That was 92.5% of all new power capacity built that year. Because of this jump, renewables rose from 43% to 46.4% of the world’s installed power capacity, which means they are now close to half of the total. (irena.org)
Solar power was the biggest driver of this change. In 2024, solar capacity grew by about 452 gigawatts and reached 1,865 gigawatts worldwide. Solar and wind together made up 96.6% of all new renewable additions. Asia led this growth, and China alone provided almost 64% of the world’s new renewable capacity. This shows how quickly one technology can change the global energy picture. (irena.org)
Actual electricity production is changing too. The International Energy Agency says renewables produced 32% of the world’s electricity in 2024. In 2025, they are expected to provide more than one-third of global electricity and overtake coal. Solar power alone reached 2,000 terawatt-hours in 2024, supplying 7% of the world’s electricity. The IEA also expects solar to provide roughly half of the growth in global electricity demand through 2027. (iea.org)
There is still work to do. IRENA says the world must keep growing renewable capacity by about 16.6% each year to meet the global 2030 goal. Even so, the direction is clear. Solar panels are spreading across roofs, fields, and deserts, and renewable energy is no longer a small part of the system. It is becoming one of the world’s main sources of power. For learners of English, this is also a useful reminder: sometimes big global change happens little by little, then suddenly feels very fast. (irena.org)










