By USA BLOG NEWS TODAY 2026:
The newly released 2025 report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), titled “Off-grid Renewable Energy Statistics 2025,” highlights a profound shift in the global energy landscape. As of early 2026, off-grid solar technology has moved from a “niche solution” to the primary engine of electricity access for millions of people in the world’s most remote regions.
While the energy transition is often discussed in the context of massive utility-scale wind farms and electric vehicle fleets in the West, this report sheds light on a quieter, more intimate revolution: the installation of small-scale solar systems that are lighting up homes, powering clinics, and irrigating fields across Africa, Asia, and South America.
The Hierarchy of Solar Access: From Lights to Home Systems
The IRENA 2025 data categorizes the success of off-grid solar based on the “tier” of service provided. The report notes that for the first time, larger systems are beginning to outpace basic lighting in growth rate, signaling an “upward mobility” in energy consumption.
- Solar Lights (Under 11 Watts): These remains the entry point for the “energy-poor.” Millions of households have replaced kerosene lamps with clean LED solar lights, significantly reducing indoor air pollution and fire risks.
- Solar Home Systems (11W to 50W+): These systems represent a leap in quality of life. The 11–50W range is sufficient to power multiple lights and charge mobile phones, while systems above 50W are now enabling the use of fans, televisions, and even small refrigerators.
- Solar Mini-Grids: These community-level grids are the “backbone” of rural development. Mini-grids provide Tier 2 and Tier 3+ connections, which are reliable enough to support small businesses, grain mills, and workshops.
Regional Breakthroughs: Africa and Asia Lead the Way
Sub-Saharan Africa: The Growth Hub
Africa continues to be the most active theater for off-grid solar deployment. Countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania have seen sustained growth throughout 2025. In Kenya, the integration of “Mobile Money” (Pay-As-You-Go models) has made high-quality solar systems affordable for rural farmers, allowing them to pay for electricity in small, daily increments.
Asia: India and Bangladesh Setting the Scale
In Asia, the scale of deployment is staggering. India’s PM-KUSUM scheme has reached a massive milestone in 2025, with over 9.42 lakh standalone solar agricultural pumps installed. Meanwhile, Bangladesh continues to boast one of the world’s largest Solar Home System programs, reaching millions of homes that were previously deemed “unreachable” by the national grid.
South America: Filling the Gaps
In South America, solar is being used as a critical tool for “last-mile” electrification. Even in countries with high hydropower capacity like Brazil and Colombia, off-grid solar is the only viable solution for indigenous communities in the Amazon basin where grid extension is ecologically and financially impossible.
Beyond Lighting: Productive Uses of Energy (PUE)
One of the most significant takeaways from the 2025 IRENA report is the rise of Productive Use of Energy (PUE). Solar is no longer just for domestic comfort; it is a tool for economic production:
| Sector | Impact of Off-Grid Solar |
| Agriculture | Solar water pumps increase crop yields by allowing for year-round irrigation without the cost of diesel. |
| Healthcare | Solar-powered refrigeration for vaccines and reliable lighting for nighttime surgeries in rural clinics. |
| Education | Digital learning tools, computers, and internet access powered by solar mini-grids in remote schools. |
| Small Business | Barbershops, mobile charging stations, and tailor shops extending their hours past sunset. |
The Future: Declining Costs and New Tech
The report attributes this 2025 surge to two main factors: record-low component prices and technological leaps. The efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) cells has increased, while the cost of lithium-ion and newer sodium-ion batteries has fallen, making energy storage more accessible than ever before.
However, the report also warns of a growing challenge: e-waste. As millions of solar products reach the end of their life cycle, IRENA emphasizes the urgent need for recycling frameworks to prevent toxic materials from entering the environment.
Conclusion
The 2025 IRENA report makes one thing clear: off-grid solar is a central pillar of the global strategy to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7)—universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy. By empowering the world’s most vulnerable populations with clean electricity, off-grid solar is not just changing the way the world generates power; it is changing the way people live, learn, and earn.
FAQs: 2025 IRENA Off-Grid Solar Report
Q: What is the primary takeaway from the 2025 IRENA report?A: The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) report confirms that off-grid solar has transitioned from a niche experimental technology to the primary driver of electricity access in the Global South. As of late 2025, solar energy is outpacing all other decentralized sources (like biogas and small hydro) in expanding energy access across Africa, Asia, and South America.
Q: How are different solar technologies categorized in the report?A: The report divides off-grid solar into three main categories based on capacity:
- Solar Lights (Under 11 Watts): Providing basic illumination and replacing kerosene for millions of households.
- Solar Home Systems (11W to 50W+): Enabling the use of fans, mobile charging, and small appliances.
- Solar Mini-Grids: Community-level systems providing Tier 1 and Tier 2+ connectivity for entire villages and community centers.
Q: What is “Productive Use of Energy” (PUE)?A: PUE refers to using solar energy for income-generating activities rather than just domestic lighting. Key examples from the 2025 report include:
- Agriculture: Solar-powered water pumps for irrigation.
- Healthcare: Solar refrigeration for life-saving vaccines and medicines.
- Education: Powering digital classrooms and computers in remote schools.