The next test for renewable energy
The Hindu - Opinion · Published 10 November 2026 · Last updated
Despite adding 692 GW of renewable capacity in 2025, the global target to triple renewables by 2030 requires an unsustainable 1,000 GW annual addition over the next four years.
Key points
- Global renewable energy capacity reached 5,149 GW in 2025, marking a significant milestone in the global energy transition.
- In 2025 alone, 692 GW of new renewable capacity was added, with nearly 97% of this increment coming from solar and wind sources.
- India hosted the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit recently, celebrating its achievement of near-universal household electricity access and its status as the world’s third-largest renewable energy capacity holder.
- Türkiye is hosting COP31 this week, with Australia holding the presidency of the climate negotiations, shifting the diplomatic focus to the Middle East.
- The COP31 hosts have proposed a global electrification target known as 35 by 35, aiming to raise electricity’s share in final energy consumption to 35% by 2035.
- This proposal follows the Brazil COP30 presidency’s efforts to develop a roadmap for the transition away from fossil fuels, indicating a continued diplomatic push for decarbonization.
- The goal of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030, agreed upon at the 2023 G20 summit in India and via the UAE Consensus at COP28, remains significantly out of reach.
- To meet the 2030 tripling target, the world must add more than 1,000 GW of renewable capacity annually over the remaining four years, a pace far exceeding current trends.
- The current trajectory of adding 692 GW annually is insufficient to bridge the gap required to achieve the 2030 target, highlighting a critical implementation deficit.
- The disparity between political signaling at summits like the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit and the actual pace of capacity addition underscores the complexity of the energy transition.
- The proposed 35 by 35 target seeks to address the structural shift in energy consumption by increasing the role of electricity in final energy use, complementing generation-side targets.
- The UAE Consensus at COP28 and the G20 commitments serve as the primary international frameworks driving the current push for accelerated renewable deployment.
Background
- In 2023, the G20 summit hosted by India saw leaders agree to the goal of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030, setting a ambitious baseline for the coming decade.
- At COP28 in the UAE, the UAE Consensus was adopted, formally committing nations to the tripling target and initiating discussions on a roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels.
- The Brazil COP30 presidency focused on developing specific roadmaps for the transition away from fossil fuels, building upon the political momentum generated by previous conferences.
- India has emerged as a global leader in renewable energy, recently achieving near-universal household access to electricity and establishing itself as the world’s third-largest holder of renewable capacity.
- The global energy landscape has seen a surge in solar and wind installations, with these two technologies accounting for nearly 97% of the 692 GW added in 2025, reflecting a shift in investment priorities.
- Previous COP conferences have established the framework for international climate negotiations, with each presidency (such as Australia’s current role) introducing new targets and mechanisms to accelerate decarbonization.
Prelims facts and Mains angle for this issue are in the full SWAदेSH note.
Original report: The Hindu - Opinion