Global inequality concentrates renewable energy in a few countries.

The global expansion of renewable energy continues at an accelerated pace, but unevenly across regions, according to recent data from IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency). Asia accounted for 74,2% of all new installed capacity in 2025, adding 513,3 GW, equivalent to a growth rate of 21,6%.

The volume reinforces the region's leadership in total renewable capacity, which reached 2.891 GW. In comparison, Europe comes in second place with 93,4 GW, highlighting the geographical concentration of the energy transition.

Disparities persist and widen vulnerabilities.

Despite some progress, regions like Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America still face structural challenges. Africa recorded its highest historical growth, with an increase of 15,9% (11,3 GW), driven by countries such as Ethiopia, South Africa, and Egypt.

The Middle East, on the other hand, showed an expansion of 28,9%, led by Saudi Arabia. Even so, these regions start from a smaller installed base, which limits their relative impact on the global stage.

At the other end of the spectrum, Central America and the Caribbean continue to have the lowest total capacity, totaling only 21 GW in 2025, which highlights gaps in access to renewable energy sources.

Supply chains concentrate risks.

In addition to regional inequality, industrial concentration also poses a challenge to global energy security. According to the IEA (International Energy Agency)However, supply chains for key technologies, such as solar panels and batteries, remain highly concentrated, with China accounting for 60% to 85% of production capacity at various stages.

The analysis indicates that the disruption of a single link can compromise the entire chain. One example is the potential impact of shutdowns in Chinese exports, which could generate losses of billions of dollars in the global production of electric vehicles and solar equipment.

Emerging economies seek to accelerate electrification.

Meanwhile, studies of Ember (a non-profit organization specializing in energy and climate) indicates that emerging countries have been advancing in the adoption of electrical technologies, such as solar energy and batteries, driven by falling costs.

According to the analysis, these markets can adopt a more direct electrification model, without repeating the historical dependence on fossil fuels. Even so, unequal access to financing, infrastructure, and technology remains a limiting factor.

Energy security and competitiveness on the global agenda

The combination of geographic concentration of renewable energy generation and industrial dependence on a few countries reinforces the need for diversification. International organizations emphasize that increasing competitiveness, strengthening production chains, and accelerating investments in underserved regions will be decisive factors in reducing economic risks and ensuring energy security.

Geopolitical overview 

According to the specialist in the Brazilian electricity sector and director of New Business at Canal According to Bernardo Marangon, the numbers reflect structural transformations in the global economy and energy consumption.

“In my view, this growth is closely linked to the advancement of artificial intelligence as a driver of increased demand for electricity. China has fully structured itself for electric mobility and renewable energy, while the United States has not developed its production facilities, such as solar panel factories and possibly other components of the supply chain, on the same scale,” he says.

According to him, there is an energy polarization between the two largest economies in the world. “There is an energy clash between China and the United States. China dominates practically the entire production chain, while the United States opts more for technological development, without internalizing all the industrial capacity necessary to grow at the same pace in renewables.”

Marangon points out that this difference helps explain the uneven performance between regions. “This disparity is closely related to the fact that China has a very strong growth engine. The United States, on the other hand, also needs to be analyzed in terms of installed capacity, because perhaps growth in renewables hasn't advanced as much precisely because it doesn't depend on the same production base as China,” he adds.

The expert also highlights Brazil's specific challenges in the energy transition. "Today we face a grid problem in absorbing intermittent energy. The transition will only advance consistently with the use of batteries as a solution, something that is already more developed in Asia."

In his assessment, economic factors influence other regions. "Europe, for example, seems economically more stagnant, which ends up reducing its dynamism in the growth of renewables," he concludes.

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