Dii Desert Energy, an energy transition think tank in the Mena region, has identified a definitive breakthrough: the region has officially entered an exponential phase of renewable energy deployment.

While it took five years for the region’s installed renewable capacity to grow from roughly 14GW in 2020 to 30 GW in 2024, the market surged in 2025, adding nearly 15GW of new capacity in just 12 months, according to its annual report, Mena Energy Outlook 2026 – Renewables, Hydrogen and Energy Storage Insights 2030.

Key findings indicate that the region added nearly 15GW of capacity in 2025 alone—a massive leap compared to the growth recorded between 2020 (14GW) and 2024 (30GW).

The report also highlights a sharp surge in the project pipeline, which has reached a total of 202 GW, surpassing the ‘Balanced Transition’ scenario of 165GW forecast in the previous edition.

This represents significant acceleration, with the identified pipeline growing by 54 per cent from the 131 GW recorded just one year earlier.

In addition, the UAE has further consolidated its position as a renewable energy leader, ranking second in the region with 7.5GW of operational capacity.

This leadership is underpinned by ambitious plans to reach 22GW by 2031 and world-record execution.

Masdar, in partnership with EWEC, is developing a 5.2GW solar park integrated with 19GWh of battery storage—the largest and most technologically advanced system of its kind and a world-first breakthrough in delivering clean, around-the-clock power at giga-scale.

The key findings of the report were launched at the World Future Energy Summit.

Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, said,: “In light of the dual challenges of climate change and energy security, a rapid and sustained scale-up of renewable energy is no longer optional — it is essential. The UAE recognised this early, and we have committed to tripling our renewable energy capacity by 2030, strengthening our ambition by increasing the renewable energy target from 14.2 gigawatts to a clear target of more than 22 gigawatts of installed renewable energy capacity, including solar, concentrated solar power (CSP), wind, and waste-to-energy within the next five years.”

He added: “As we accelerate this transformation, access to reliable, high-quality data and forward-looking analysis becomes critical to sound policymaking, investment decisions, and regional coordination. In this context, the Mena Energy Outlook 2026 provides valuable and timely insights into the trends, risks, and opportunities shaping the energy future of our region, supporting evidence-based decisions as we build a more secure, resilient, and sustainable energy system.”

Cornelius Matthes, CEO of Dii Desert Energy, said:  “2025 can be described as a breakthrough year for the energy transformation in the Mena region, with an unprecedented surge in new capacity for both solar PV, wind and BESS, all purely driven by market factors with the lowest prices globally.”

Mohammed Al Ramahi, CEO of global clean energy leader, Masdar, said: “The MENA Energy Outlook 2026 clearly shows that the region has reached a decisive inflection point. The acceleration of renewable energy deployment now underway demonstrates the potential of renewables to outperform conventional energy on cost, speed of deployment, resilience, and returns. This reinforces MENA’s position as global leader in delivering affordable, scalable clean energy, while supporting energy security and long-term economic growth.” -TradeArabia News Service