IEA data shows 2025 delivered the biggest jump ever recorded for any energy source: solar PV output surged enough to meet a quarter of all rising energy demand and more than two‑thirds of the extra electricity needed. The growth occurred without any major market shock, making it a clean‑room record for renewables. That surge helped offset rising electricity bills for consumers worldwide.

Solar farms produced over 2,700 terawatt‑hours in 2025, more than twice the 2022 figure, pushing solar’s share of global electricity above 8 percent. Thirty nations added at least one gigawatt of capacity, elevating solar to the single largest source on grids by installed capacity, even though other fuels still generate more power today. The rapid rollout also pressured traditional utilities to rethink their asset strategies.

Battery installations surged 40 percent between 2024 and 2025, adding 110 GW of new capacity and bringing total storage to more than ten times its 2020 level, a key factor in matching solar’s output without fossil backups. Meanwhile, natural‑gas rose 1 percent, coal stayed flat and fell below 10 percent of EU electricity, while China’s coal use slipped despite new plants, showing renewables now carry most demand growth.