China, the United States, and the European Union were the primary drivers of global green energy expansion in 2025, collectively contributing nearly 80% of all new installations. While these major economies led the way, other regions like the Middle East and Africa also saw record-breaking increases driven by specific nations such as Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia, according to the authors of the newly released report.
The report states, “China, the United States and the European Union together account for 550 GW (or 79.5%) of the new renewable capacity installed in 2025.” It further notes that regional progress in Africa was “driven by Ethiopia, South Africa and Egypt,” while growth in the Middle East was “led by Saudi Arabia.”
These figures show that a small group of powerful economies is currently responsible for the vast majority of the world’s shift toward cleaner power sources. While most of the new hardware for generating electricity from sources like the sun and wind is being built in just three places—China, the U.S., and Europe—developing regions are starting to show significant progress. Countries in the Middle East and Africa are beginning to ramp up their own capabilities, though they still represent a very small portion of the total global green energy infrastructure.
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.
