Asia's renewable capacity expands 9.3% to 1.12TW in 2019

The region took up 60% of new solar capacity.

Asia’s renewable capacity expanded 9.3% or 95.5GW to reach 1.12TW in 2019, according to data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The region accounted for 54% of new capacity worldwide in 2019 and 44% of the global total.

The region also dominated in solar capacity growth, accounting for 60% of new additions in the sector.

China also led wind energy expansions, where capacity grew by 26GW out of the global capacity growth of 60GW. It also led the expansion of bioenergy and hydropower, adding 3.3GW and over 4GW, respectively.

Meanwhile, Indonesia recorded the second biggest growth in geothermal energy capacity at 185MW, trailing just behind Turkey which added 232MW.

Across the globe, the renewable energy sector added 176GW of generating capacity in 2019, marginally lower than the 179GW added in 2018. However, new renewable power accounted for 72% of total power expansion last year. Solar and wind contributed 90% of the new additions.

Renewables accounted for at least 70% of total capacity expansion in almost all regions in 2019, other than Africa and the Middle East, where they represented 52% and 26% of net additions, respectively.

With the new additions, the share of renewables in the global power capacity has reached 34.7%, from 33.3% at the end of 2018.