In 2025, the Middle East and Africa emerged as frontrunners in expanding their green energy infrastructure, with the Middle East witnessing a nearly 29% jump in capacity. This rapid expansion in emerging economies is being primarily driven by substantial growth in countries like Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Egypt, according to the authors of the newly released report.
The report notes that “Africa recorded its highest capacity increase in 2025, rising by 15.9% to reach a total of 82 GW” and “Another region that experienced its largest annual growth is the Middle East, which increased by 28.9%, led by Saudi Arabia.”
These figures show that while major powers like China and the United States still install the most equipment, smaller and developing regions are scaling up their clean energy efforts at a much quicker pace. For example, the Middle East’s growth rate was almost double the global average increase, signaling a major shift toward sustainable power in parts of the world that are rapidly modernizing their electricity systems.
The report “Renewable Capacity Statistics 2026” was published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi. Released in 2026, the comprehensive statistical review was prepared by a dedicated team of authors including Julian Prime, Iman Abdulkadir Ahmed, and Dennis Akande. It provides a detailed global accounting of green energy deployment and capacity trends through the end of 2025.
