Global renewable funding slips while solar installations surge worldwide

Renewable energy investment worldwide contracted to $327.5 billion in the first half of 2026, a 21% drop from the 2024 high, based on a BloombergNEF report. The decline reflects a major contraction in offshore wind financing, while overall spending remained roughly unchanged from the previous six months. Solar energy emerged as the leading recipient of new capital, driven by heightened urgency to expand capacity as ongoing global conflicts threaten energy supplies.

A separate Ember study predicts that Africa will experience a record year of solar installations. China continues to dominate the market in absolute terms, but its share of global renewable investment has slipped to roughly 25%, down from over half in 2022.