Renewables investment stagnates, but solar boom continues
The dip over the past few years was driven primarily by a major contraction of the offshore wind industry.
Global renewable energy investment dropped to $327.5 billion in the first half of 2026, a 21% decrease from the 2024 peak, according to a BloombergNEF report. However, solar power investment continued to surge during this period. Investment levels were essentially unchanged from the previous six months, as reported by BloombergNEF.
The decline in investment was mainly attributed to a sharp fall in the offshore wind sector. Solar energy attracted the highest amount of investment among the different renewable energy categories in the first half of 2026. Countries were rushing to build more solar capacity due to growing concerns about potential disruptions in energy supplies caused by ongoing global conflicts.
Africa is projected to record its highest-ever year for solar installations, according to a new report from the energy-focused think tank Ember. China continues to be the largest global market for renewables, but its share of the market has declined to a quarter, down from over half in 2022.
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