Renewables now produce almost a third of global electricity!
Renewable power generation is clocking its fastest growth ever, with biggest jumps in Asia and the Middle East, according to the newest issue of Renewable energy statistics 2026 yearbook.
Source: IRENA — Renewable energy statistics 2026
According to the new International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) data renewables made up 31.7% of the global generated electricity in 2024.
What's more, year-over-year generation grew by 9.8% in 2024, a bigger leap compared to the previous year. In total, solar and wind power eclipsed other means of renewables production.
Renewable electricity generation by region, 2024
Terawatt-hours generated from renewable sources in 2024, with the change on 2023. Bars share one scale.
- Asia4,589+14.3%
- Europe1,758+7.2%
- North America1,535+5.8%
- South America1,047+2.9%
- Eurasia411+11.9%
- Africa227+5.7%
- Oceania138+3.4%
- Middle East76+17.3%
- C. America & Carib.55+5.8%
Bar length is 2024 generation in TWh; the second figure is the change on 2023. The nine regions sum to 9,836TWh, IRENA’s world total. Eurasia is IRENA’s grouping of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia and Türkiye.
Even so, the share of renewables in total capacity expansion went down from 92.7% in 2024 to 85.7% in 2025. Despite the drop, IRENA affirms that renewable deployment continues to outpace non-renewable growth.
The new data can be found in the newest Renewable energy statistics 2026 yearbook which has been published earlier this month. IRENA released their updated report on electricity generation and capacity for 2016 to 2025 period.
"Growing support for global electrification reflects a shared recognition that clean electricity strengthens energy security, resilience and competitiveness," said IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera.
La Camera urged the necessity to expand renewable electricity generation to unprecedented levels in the near future, since, he claims, the technology is here and "the economics are compelling."
Every nation at the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP30) is of one mind when it comes to this - commented the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Simon Stiell. The new data is the evidence this shift is now irreversible, he added.
"With renewable power generation clocking its fastest growth ever, the shift to clean energy is charging ahead, because it's now cheaper, safer and faster-to-market, in stark contrast to this year's ongoing fossil fuel cost chaos – driving inflation painfully higher for every economy, millions of businesses and billions of households," added Stiell.
Asian countries produced 4,589 Terawatt-hour (TWh), with 14.3% substantial jump compared to the year before, mainly driven by solar and wind production.
Farther down the ladder, in second place is Europe with 1,758 TWh (up by 7.2%) created, led by increases in solar and hydropower.
North America generated 1,535 TWh (5.8% increase), and South America generated 1,047 TWh (2.9% increase).
Eurasia, defined in the document as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Türkiye, was able to generate 411 TWh (up by 11.9%).
Africa upped their production by 5.7%, totalling 227 TWh, with only geothermal energy production stagnating.
Oceania generated 138 TWh (3.4% increase).
Middle East countries had the highest regional growth rate (17.3%) with 76 TWh production.
Finally, Central America and the Caribbean production yielded 55 TWh (5.8% increase).