Renewables Top Coal as Global Electricity Source

For the first time, renewable sources of energy generated more electricity across the globe than coal during the first half of 2025, a new study found.

The report from the clean energy nonprofit Ember also determined that a strong increase in solar and wind power exceeded the increase in global demand for electricity during the same time period. Solar and wind met 109% of global demand growth. The study found that demand grew by 369 terawatt-hours (TWh) during the first six months, while solar increased by 306 TWh and wind by 97 TWh. Solar alone met 83% of the increase.

While renewables grew to reach 5,027 TWh, coal generation declined to 4,896 TWh. Renewables now provide 34.3% of global electricity, while coal’s share fell to 33.1%. Power generation from fossil fuels worldwide fell slightly, with both China and India among large countries seeing a drop as their renewable generation rose. “By contrast, in the U.S. clean sources did not keep pace with demand rise, so fossil fuel generation increased,” the report states.

China led all countries in contributing to the growth in solar, accounting for 55% of the increase, while the U.S. accounted for 14%. While overall global electricity demand increased by 2.6% during the first half of 2025, emissions fell slightly due to the growth in renewable generation. While emissions fell in both China and India, they increased in the U.S. and Europe compared with the same time period in 2024.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) also recently released its 2025 renewables report that forecasts global renewable capacity is expected to continue to grow strongly, and double by 2030. The IEA report predicts that global renewable power capacity will increase by 4,600 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, with solar accounting for about 80% of that increase.

While the outlook for renewable energy worldwide is optimistic, the IEA noted that growth expectations for U.S. were cut by almost 50% compared to last year. This is due to the Trump administration’s policy changes and early early phase-out of federal tax, the report indicates.

As the cost to build and install solar systems continues to drop, countries across the globe are expected to continue adding more capacity in future years to help meet increasing energy needs.