Source: Ars Technica
IRENA's 2025 installation data confirms solar has become the default infrastructure choice for new electricity generation worldwide, not just in the US. Grid operators now manage intermittency at scale. Battery storage companies race to meet demand. Incumbent fossil fuel utilities have lost their role as primary builders of new power infrastructure. The 1.4 gigawatts of average daily solar additions reflects a different investment pattern than the previous decade, when capacity decisions spread across coal, gas, and renewables. Today capital, supply chains, and regulatory approval processes optimize almost exclusively for solar deployment. The shift redistributes power: distributed solar installers and panel manufacturers gain leverage over centralized utilities. Grids engineer toward flexibility rather than baseload stability. Regions compete for manufacturing hubs. Renewable infrastructure deployment capacity—not technology or cost—now constrains energy transition speed.