Renewable Energy Sets Records: Wind and Solar Expansion Fuels Magnet Wire Growth

The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts that new renewable energy capacity additions in 2026 will be 62% higher than in 2025, with over 99% of all new U.S. generating capacity coming from solar, wind, and battery storage. Planned additions include 44,470 MW of utility-scale solar and nearly 12,000 MW of wind power.

A Global Buildout

Globally, the pipeline is even more dramatic. The total capacity of planned wind and utility-scale solar projects grew 11% in 2025 to 4.9 terawatts. Currently, 758 GW of projects are under construction worldwide, with three-quarters concentrated in China and India. China alone hosts 448 GW of wind and solar projects under construction — more than half the global total.

Copper and Wire Demand

This buildout requires enormous quantities of copper and magnet wire. Wind turbine generators, solar inverters, and grid-connected transformers all rely on enameled wire windings. The energy transition is projected to add over 7 million metric tons of new copper demand through 2040.

Every wind turbine generator contains hundreds of kilograms of precisely wound enameled copper wire. Solar inverters and the transformers that connect renewable generation to the grid are equally wire-intensive. Wire that can withstand the harsh environmental conditions of offshore wind installations and desert solar farms commands premium pricing.

YIDA supplies enameled wire to wind turbine and transformer manufacturers across Asia, with insulation systems specifically designed for the thermal cycling and environmental exposure that renewable energy equipment demands.