According to a new policy advisory from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) the strategic deployment of renewables has provided enhanced resilience in the face of the current energy crisis by a number of countries. The brief, aimed at policy makers responding to the disruption in international energy markets, suggests a set of immediate and longer-term actions.
Renewables are already reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports across countries, the new brief finds – from Spain and Portugal in Europe, to China, India and Pakistan in Asia. Globally, renewable power capacity continues to grow at record speed, with 692 GW added in 2025.
Furthermore, falling costs have transformed the economics of power generation. More than 85% of new renewables are now cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives. Since 2010, the cost of solar has fallen by 87%, onshore wind by 55% and battery storage by 93%. Meanwhile, ‘firm’ renewables, which combine wind or solar with battery storage, provide 24/7 power at lower costs than most fossil fuel-fired alternatives.
Reflecting on the current global situation, IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera, advised, “Governments must urgently consider targeted interventions to steer investment and emergency responses towards accelerating the deployment of renewable power and the electrification of energy-consuming processes and sectors.”
