Renewables have overtaken coal as the world’s biggest source of electricity for the first time, according to Ember’s latest Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2025 report — marking a major turning point in the clean energy transition.
The analysis shows low-carbon power sources – led by solar and wind – now generate more than 40% of global electricity, edging out coal after decades of dominance.
Clean electricity hit a record 40.9% share in the first half of 2025, with solar and wind providing nearly a quarter of that total.
Solar was the standout performer, expanding by 29% in just twelve months and adding more generation than any other source worldwide.
Renewable power overall grew by a record 858 terawatt-hours – enough to power the entire United Kingdom for more than two years – as wind farms, hydro, and solar parks surged across Asia and Europe.
Ember said the shift shows the global power system is “finally entering the clean energy era”.
The rise of renewables is now outpacing electricity demand growth, pushing fossil fuels – especially coal – into long-term decline.
However, the report warned that progress remains uneven. While the share of clean power is rising, absolute coal generation increased slightly in the first half of the year due to higher demand during heatwaves.
“We are at a tipping point, not the finish line,” Ember noted, highlighting that strong electricity demand growth risks locking in new fossil infrastructure unless countries accelerate storage, grid upgrades and efficiency.
China accounted for more than half the world’s new solar capacity and met 81% of its power demand growth with clean energy, while India also made major gains with renewables overtaking the increase in its electricity use.
In contrast, the US and parts of Europe saw fossil output rise as weaker wind and hydro generation forced grids to rely more on backup gas and coal plants.
Ember concluded that 2025 could be remembered as the year fossil fuels peaked in global power generation — if governments now seize the opportunity.
The next challenge, it said, is to build enough flexible capacity to integrate renewables fully and ensure “the global clean electricity transition becomes unstoppable”.