Renewables Overtake Coal For The First Time Ever
Wind, Solar Energy Has Finally Beat Out Coal
For the first time on record, renewable energy sources like wind and solar produced more electricity than coal in the first half of 2025, marking a major milestone in the global transition toward cleaner power.
A Turning Point in the Energy Mix
Between January and June 2025, global electricity demand rose by 2.6%. But that entire increase (plus a little more) was met by surging growth in renewable energy.
Solar and wind generation grew by a combined 403 terawatt-hours (TWh), outpacing the world’s rising power needs. Solar power alone met 83% of the global increase in demand, climbing an astonishing 31% in just six months.
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This image shows an offshore wind development off the coast of New England.
(NOAA Fisheries)
That growth pushed renewables to produce more electricity than coal for the first time ever. According to the report, renewables generated 5,072 TWh of power in the first half of 2025, while coal produced 4,896 TWh, a significant shift in the global energy landscape.
“We are seeing the first signs of a crucial turning point. Solar and wind are now growing fast enough to meet the world’s growing appetite for electricity,” said Małgorzata Wiatros-Motyka, Senior Electricity Analyst at Ember. Adding, “This marks the beginning of a shift where clean power is keeping pace with demand growth.”
Solar Power Leads the Charge
The biggest driver of change? Solar.
This image shows ENTECH, Inc.’s SolarRow Arrays that are designed to produce electricity at power plant capacity levels.
(NASA)
Once a niche energy source, solar power has become the fastest-growing form of electricity generation worldwide. China alone accounted for more than half (55%) of global solar growth this year, followed by the United States, the European Union, India, and Brazil.
“This analysis confirms what we are witnessing on the ground: solar and wind are no longer marginal technologies, they are driving the global power system forward,” said Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council.
Overall, solar now makes up 8.8% of global electricity, up from 6.9% a year ago. Dozens of countries are now generating at least 10% of their electricity from the sun, a number that’s nearly tripled in just four years.
Coal Use Declines, Emissions Level Off
Coal generation fell slightly (about 0.6% globally) as clean energy replaced it in several major economies. China and India both saw declines in coal use, with China’s dip described as more “structural,” signaling longer-term change.
This image shows the Plant Bowen power station in Georgia
(USGS)
Even with electricity demand rising, global power sector emissions fell slightly in the first half of 2025. Drops in emissions from China and India offset increases in the U.S. and EU, where fossil fuel use ticked up to compensate for weaker wind and hydro generation.
The Big Picture
The data shows what experts have long anticipated: as renewable capacity expands, it’s not just keeping up with demand, it’s overtaking fossil fuels. This record-setting moment hints at a future where the world’s growing appetite for energy can be fed with sources that don’t add to the planet’s warming.
“As costs of technologies continue to fall, now is the perfect moment to embrace the economic, social and health benefits that come with increased solar, wind and batteries,” said Wiatros-Motyka.
If solar and wind continue to grow at today’s pace, 2025 may be remembered as the year the global power shift truly took off.
Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world’s biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.