The International Energy Agency expects almost 4,800 GW of renewable power capacity to be added worldwide between 2026 and 2031, with solar photovoltaics providing more than three-quarters of that growth.
Its Renewables 2026 outlook, published on 6 November, forecasts additions almost 60% above those in the preceding six-year period. The agency attributes the broader expansion partly to governments seeking greater energy security and less exposure to imported fuels.
Additions in emerging and developing economies outside China are expected to match those in advanced economies by 2031. China remains the largest contributor, while India is expected to become the second-largest growth market.
The forecast also exposes a delivery constraint: the IEA says advanced-stage renewable-energy and storage projects waiting for grid connections increased 60% over the past year to 3,000 GW.
For developers and suppliers, the findings point to growing demand for grid capacity, connections and flexibility alongside generation equipment. These are forecasts and reported project queues, not construction commitments or a guarantee that individual projects will proceed.
Source: IEA Renewables 2026 announcement, 6 November 2026.
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Image credit: illustrative renewables file photograph of Waldpolenz solar installation, Brandis, Germany, 22 August 2017, with biogas facilities behind. This predates the forecast. Radler59 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized; same licence retained.
Compiled by Energy People with AI assistance from the linked sources. No interview or on-site reporting is implied.
