Global Solar Growth Set to Slow for First Time, BNEF Says

Solar installations are set to slow next year for the first time since the industry emerged as a global force two decades ago, as policy shifts and saturation in major markets temper demand.

The world is set to add 649 gigawatts of solar power capacity in 2026, down slightly from 2025, BNEF’s Global PV Market Outlook showed. This year’s growth is the weakest in seven years, and next year’s contraction will be the first in records going back to 2000.