Renewable energy forecast to see net increase of 4,770 GW… 3,000 GW waiting in grid connection queue

The International Energy Agency’s annual Renewables 2026 report projects 4,770 GW of net new renewable power capacity globally from 2026 to 2031, 57% more than the increase seen in 2020–2025. Solar PV is expected to account for more than three-quarters of that capacity growth, with emerging markets driving much of the expansion. The figure represents added installed capacity, not actual generation or existing stock, and the IEA’s headline “about 4,800 GW” is a rounding of the 4,770 GW estimate. The report also covers renewable deployment in transport, heating and biogas alongside power. The scale of the forecast matters for grid planning and equipment supply chains, and the next thing to watch is how far the roughly 3,000 GW of projects reportedly waiting in grid-connection queues can be connected in time.