Renewables Surpass Coal: A Historic Shift in Global Electricity Generation

Mon Oct 20 2025 20:21:40 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

For the first time, renewable energy has overtaken coal as the world's largest source of electricity, marking a significant milestone in the global energy landscape.

In a historic shift, renewable energy sources, primarily solar and wind, have surpassed coal to become the largest source of electricity globally in the first half of 2025. Despite the positive trend, the transition reveals a complex picture, with developing nations leading the way while developed countries face increased reliance on fossil fuels. This pivotal moment highlights a crucial turning point in the quest for sustainable energy solutions.

Renewable energy overtook coal as the world's leading source of electricity in the first half of this year - a historic first, according to new data from the global energy think tank Ember.

Electricity demand is growing around the world but the growth in solar and wind was so strong it met 100% of the extra electricity demand, even helping drive a slight decline in coal and gas use.

However, Ember says the headlines mask a mixed global picture.

Developing countries, especially China, led the clean energy charge but richer nations including the US and EU relied more than before on planet-warming fossil fuels for electricity generation.

Coal, a major contributor to global warming, was still the world's largest individual source of energy generation in 2024, a position it has held for more than 50 years, according to the International Energy Agency.

China remains way ahead in clean energy growth, adding more solar and wind capacity than the rest of the world combined. This enabled the growth in renewable generation in China to outpace rising electricity demand and helped reduce its fossil fuel generation by 2%.

India experienced slower electricity demand growth and also added significant new solar and wind capacity, meaning it too cut back on coal and gas.

In contrast, developed nations like the US, and also the EU, saw the opposite trend.

In the US, electricity demand grew faster than clean energy output, increasing reliance on fossil fuels, while in the EU, months of weak wind and hydropower performance led to a rise in coal and gas generation.

Despite these regional differences, Ember calls this moment a 'crucial turning point'. Ember senior analyst Malgorzata Wiatros-Motyka said it 'marks the beginning of a shift where clean power is keeping pace with demand growth'.

Solar power delivered the lion's share of growth, meeting 83% of the increase in electricity demand. It has now been the largest source of new electricity globally for three years in a row.

Most solar generation (58%) is now in lower-income countries, many of which have seen explosive growth in recent years.

That's thanks to spectacular reductions in cost. Solar has seen prices fall a staggering 99.9% since 1975 and is now so cheap that large markets for solar can emerge in a country in the space of a single year, especially where grid electricity is expensive and unreliable, says Ember.

Countries like Pakistan are importing substantial solar capacities, while Africa is experiencing a solar boom.

However, this rapid growth comes with challenges, such as in Afghanistan, where solar-powered water pumps are threatening groundwater supplies.

Overall, as countries navigate these burgeoning opportunities and barriers, the landscape of global electricity generation continues to evolve, showcasing the importance of renewable energy in the fight against climate change.