© UNOPS In the city of Sayun, Yemen, a critical water supply runs on solar energy. Renewable electricity production reaches record growth rates Sustainable Development Goals
Global electricity production from renewable sources grew by 9.8 percent in 2024, while production from non-renewable sources increased by only 1.4 percent, according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Overall, renewable sources accounted for 31.7 percent of the world’s electricity production in 2024.
Ahead of the 31st UN Climate Conference (COP31), Turkey, which will chair the meeting, announced a global goal of bringing the share of electricity in final energy consumption to 35 percent.
According to IRENA, to achieve this goal, the share of renewable sources in global electricity production must increase from 31.7 percent in 2024 to 78 percent in 2035, about 2.5 times higher than current levels.
Energy Security
“The world is uniting around electrification as the foundation of an energy transition driven by renewable electricity,” said IRENA Director General Francesco La Camera.
Clean electricity strengthens energy security, sustainability and competitiveness, he said. This will require an unprecedented expansion of renewable electricity production over the next decade and a rapid transition from fossil fuels to clean energy in buildings, transport and industry.
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Steel said new data confirms the irreversibility of the global energy transition.
“The transition to clean energy is gaining momentum because it is now cheaper, safer and faster to market,” he said. However, Steele stressed that the process is still not moving fast enough to reach everyone, and many vulnerable countries need significant support. In this regard, it is necessary to implement all climate finance commitments on time and in full.
Regional indicators
Asia was the largest producer of electricity from renewable sources in 2024, where it produced 4,589 terawatt-hours – 14.3 percent more than the previous year. Solar and wind power saw particularly strong growth.
In Europe, production reached 1,758 terawatt-hours, an increase of 7.2 percent, driven by solar and hydropower developments. In North America, the figure grew by 5.8 percent, to 1,535 terawatt-hours, and in South America, by 2.9 percent, to 1,047 terawatt-hours. However, total production there was only 76 terawatt-hours.
The report also notes that a record 693 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity was added globally in 2025. According to the revised data, at the end of 2025, installed renewable energy capacity reached 5.2 terawatts, accounting for 49.5 percent of the global total.