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IEA: Solar Leads 2025 Energy Growth as Electricity Use Surges

The IEA says the shift shows clean technologies now meet most new demand.

Overview

  • The IEA’s 2026 Global Energy Review, released Monday, reports that solar supplied about 25% of 2025’s energy-supply growth, the most of any source.
  • Global electricity use rose about 3% in 2025, while overall energy demand grew 1.3%, as buildings, factories, electric cars, and data centers pulled more power.
  • Clean power from renewables and nuclear more than covered the rise in electricity demand, indicating fossil fuels lost share in power generation.
  • Solar generation jumped by roughly 600 terawatt-hours in 2025, battery storage added about 110 gigawatts, and construction began on more than 12 gigawatts of new nuclear.
  • Electric vehicle sales topped 20 million in 2025, helping limit oil demand growth to about 0.7%, while energy-related CO2 emissions rose roughly 0.4% with a decline in China.