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Renewable energy sectors see significant wind and solar growth in 2026
The global renewable energy sector is experiencing significant growth across wind and solar markets. In Europe, wind energy capacity increased by 8.8 GW in the first half of 2026, a 30% rise compared to the previous year. Germany led this expansion, contributing 39% of the new capacity, while offshore wind connections tripled to 2.1 GW.
In Africa, solar installations are projected to reach a record 17 GW in 2026, marking a 45% year-over-year increase. Much of this growth is driven by distributed solar, which accounts for approximately 75% of capacity additions, often bypassing official national statistics.
Additionally, the global solar photovoltaic operations and maintenance (O&M) market reached 348 GW of assessed capacity by the end of 2025. The sector is seeing increased consolidation, with the top 15 vendors now controlling 57% of the global market.
Entities
Africa · Australia · Australian Energy Market Operator · Carl Binning · Clean Energy Regulator · Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners · Dansk Solcelleforening · Ember · Germany · Karnataka Government · National Electricity Market · WindEurope
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] More than 111,000 small-scale batteries were approved in the second quarter of 2026.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Large-scale solar projects reached 1.8 GW in final investment decisions during the June quarter.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Cheaper Home Batteries scheme has seen more than 500,000 battery applications since its inception.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Renewable generation accounted for approximately 42% of National Electricity Market generation in the quarter.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Australia installed over 1 GW of rooftop solar during the April to June 2026 quarter.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The 1 GW rooftop solar installation broke the previous record of 942 MW set in late 2023.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Small-scale battery installations reached 3.6 GWh of capacity in the June quarter.
- [● 5 SOURCES] New wind capacity in Europe increased by nearly 30% compared to the same period in 2025. www.energymag.gr · www.nouvelles-du-monde.com · rayhaber.com · www.renovablesverdes.com · businessam.be
- [● 5 SOURCES] Africa is projected to install 17 GW of solar capacity in 2026. thevaultznews.com · www.mercomindia.com · www.connaissancedesenergies.org · www.ecoticias.com · eixos.com.br
- [● 3 SOURCES] Approximately 75% of Africa's solar capacity additions between 2023 and 2025 came from distributed solar. thevaultznews.com · www.ecoticias.com · eixos.com.br
- [● 5 SOURCES] Europe added 8.8 GW of new wind capacity in the first half of 2026. www.energymag.gr · www.nouvelles-du-monde.com · rayhaber.com · www.renovablesverdes.com · businessam.be
- [● 3 SOURCES] The global solar PV operations and maintenance market reached 348 GW of assessed capacity at the end of 2025. www.saurenergy.com · taiyangnews.info · solarquarter.com