The global renewable energy sector set another record for capacity growth in 2025. New solar and wind capacity totaled 814 GW, bringing the total installed capacity to 4 TW. At the same time, renewable energy sources demonstrated their key role in overcoming global energy crises.
This was reported by the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association, citing statistics from Ember.
Source: ember-energy.org
Avoiding billion-dollar losses
The global energy system fluctuated under the pressure of consequences from the war in Iran, complicated gas supplies, and price volatility.
At the same time, the renewable energy sector served as an insurance mechanism: wind and solar generation allowed the compensation of about 330 TWh of electricity from gas, thereby avoiding $40 billion in potential losses.
“This is direct proof that renewables are becoming a tool for economic protection under conditions of geopolitical instability,” emphasizes UWEA.
The annual potential for additional generation is over 1,046 TWh of clean energy, which is already comparable to 1/7 of global natural gas-based generation. The cost of gas that would need to be imported to generate that amount is $138 billion each year.
Imbalance in the renewable segment
Solar power continues to dominate globally, with installed capacity four times higher than wind. However, during 2025, the wind power segment saw a sharp surge, registering 47% year-on-year growth. Experts suggest this may indicate a gradual leveling of shares within the “green” energy system.
“In a broader sense, we are seeing a change in the very logic of energy. Whereas gas used to act as the system's ‘balancing mechanism’, today this function is increasingly being assumed by the combination of renewables and energy storage systems,” the experts note.
Clean energy is also showing acceleration in generation growth. EcoPolitic reported that the wind segment increased by 324 MW, while the solar segment grew by a record 1.5 GW.
