China Pulls Far Ahead in Green Energy Investment

China is the world leader in global renewable energy investment, peaking at over $290 billion in 2024. This is nearly three times more than the United States, which saw around $97 billion in investment last year. This is according to data from the REN21 Global Status Report 2025.

Investment in the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom surged in 2023 but dropped significantly in 2024, falling from $142 billion to $114 billion. Growth in the rest of Asia (excluding China), Africa and the Middle East meanwhile continued to accelerate.

According to REN21, renewable energy investment amounted to $728 billion in 2024, with much of the overall investment going to solar power and electric vehicles. While this may sound like a high figure, analysts state that the world was at just 48 percent of the annual investment level required through 2030, meaning we are off track to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.