Solar PV growth outpaces all other fuels — and will continue to grow
Renewables broke new records in 2016, largely as a result of booming solar photovoltaics (PV) deployed in the People’s Republic of China, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA)
According to the IEA's report Renewables 2017: Analysis and Forecast to 2022, renewables deployment, driven by sharp cost reductions and policy support, represented almost two-thirds of new net electricity capacity additions in 2016, with almost 165 GW coming online. This was accompanied by record-low auction prices as low as $30/MWh, said the IEA. This year's renewable forecast is 12% higher than last year, thanks mostly to solar PV upward revisions in China and India. Three countries—China, India and the United States—will account for two-thirds of global renewable expansion by 2022. Total solar PV capacity by then would exceed the combined power capacities of India and Japan today. "We se
Also in this section
9 January 2026
A shift in perspective is needed on the carbon challenge, the success of which will determine the speed and extent of emissions cuts and how industries adapt to the new environment
2 January 2026
This year may be a defining one for carbon capture, utilisation and storage in the US, despite the institutional uncertainty
23 December 2025
Legislative reform in Germany sets the stage for commercial carbon capture and transport at a national level, while the UK has already seen financial close on major CCS clusters
15 December 2025
Net zero is not the problem for the UK’s power system. The real issue is with an outdated market design in desperate need of modernisation
