For the first time in history, global renewable energy production has overtaken coal as the leading source of electricity. This landmark shift, which unfolded in the first half of 2025, signals what experts describe as a crucial turning point in the world’s energy landscape. According to a recent study by the climate think tank Ember, wind and solar power plants generated more electricity worldwide than coal-fired ones, marking a moment that could reshape how nations power their economies and confront the climate crisis.
The numbers are striking. Solar power production surged by nearly a third compared to the same period in 2024, meeting a remarkable 83% of the increase in global electricity demand, as reported by The Guardian via UNN. Wind power also grew, albeit more modestly, by just over 7%. For the first time, this growth in renewables didn’t just add to the world’s energy supply—it replaced fossil fuels, causing a slight but significant drop in coal and gas consumption.
Małgorzata Wiatros-Motyka, Ember’s senior electricity analyst and lead author of the report, called this an “important turning point.” She told Newsweek, “Clean sources grew more than demand and therefore they displaced some fossil fuels.” Wiatros-Motyka added, “Solar and wind power are now growing fast enough to meet the world’s growing demand for electricity. This marks the beginning of a clean energy transition that is keeping pace with demand growth.”
But beneath the celebratory headlines lies a more nuanced global picture. According to BBC News, the clean energy surge has been led by developing countries—especially China and India—while richer nations like the United States and European Union have, in some cases, increased their reliance on fossil fuels. In China, the world’s biggest emitter and clean energy leader, renewable generation outpaced rising electricity demand, resulting in a 2% drop in fossil fuel use. China added more solar and wind capacity than the rest of the world combined, according to Ember’s research.
India also posted impressive gains. Its renewable energy production grew more than three times faster than its electricity demand, leading to a 3.1% reduction in coal and a dramatic 34% drop in gas consumption. Meanwhile, in the U.S., electricity demand outstripped renewable growth, causing coal production to jump by 17% in the first half of 2025. The EU, too, saw a modest increase in electricity demand, but a weather-driven decline in wind and hydropower output forced a 14% rise in gas and a 1.1% rise in coal generation.
Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), emphasized the scale of the transformation underway. “In the coming years, the growth of global renewable energy capacity will be driven by solar energy, but wind, hydropower, bioenergy, and geothermal energy will also be involved,” Birol said. The IEA forecasts that global renewable energy capacity could more than double by 2030, with 80% of new clean energy capacity expected to come from solar alone. China is expected to remain the world’s largest renewable energy market, with India in second place and significant solar growth projected in countries like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and across Southeast Asia.
The rapid expansion of solar power is not limited to Asia. In Africa, solar panel imports rose by 60% year-on-year to June 2025, as reported by BBC News. South Africa led the continent, but Nigeria, Algeria, Zambia, and Botswana all saw exponential growth. Pakistan imported solar panels capable of generating 17 gigawatts in 2024—double the previous year and about a third of its total electricity generation capacity. Most solar generation, roughly 58%, is now concentrated in lower-income countries, driven by plummeting costs. Ember notes that solar panel prices have fallen an astonishing 99.9% since 1975, making solar one of the most accessible forms of new electricity, especially in nations where grid power is unreliable or expensive.
Yet, this breakneck growth is not without challenges. In Afghanistan, for example, the widespread use of solar-powered water pumps is lowering the water table, threatening long-term access to groundwater for millions. Dr. David Mansfield and satellite data firm Alcis warn that some regions could run dry within five to ten years if current trends continue.
Experts say the clean energy boom is also changing the economics of power generation. Sam Kimmins, director of energy at the nonprofit Climate Group, told Newsweek that Ember’s findings highlight a new economic milestone: “Their purchasing power and influence is re-making the energy system. Governments risk losing business to more competitive markets if they fail to act quickly to improve access to renewables.” Brendan Pierpont of Energy Innovation added, “Global renewable energy deployment keeps exceeding our expectations… It’s getting cheaper and easier to integrate these resources on grids as the cost of complementary resources like energy storage also falls in tandem.”
However, the transition is not uniform. In the United States, the IEA has halved its forecast for renewable capacity growth this decade, citing policy changes under President Donald Trump’s administration. The agency now expects the U.S. to add 250 gigawatts of new renewable capacity by 2030, rather than the 500 gigawatts previously forecast. As China’s clean tech exports, including electric vehicles and batteries, hit a record $20 billion in August 2025, the U.S. is focusing on encouraging the world to buy more of its oil and gas, according to BBC News.
Despite regional differences and policy headwinds, many experts believe the shift toward renewables is “unstoppable.” Wiatros-Motyka told Newsweek, “More than half the world’s economies are already past the peak of fossil fuels. So, there is no turning back now, I believe, from this moment.” Mark Jacobson, a Stanford University professor and clean energy expert, called Ember’s report “positive news,” but cautioned that a true turning point will be confirmed only if fossil fuel use continues to drop while renewables rise over a sustained period. He pointed to the potential for even greater gains through energy efficiency and rooftop solar, noting that California’s average electricity use per person is just 40% of that in Texas, thanks to stricter efficiency measures.
It’s important to remember, as Wiatros-Motyka noted, that Ember’s report covers only the electricity sector. Fossil fuels still dominate transportation and industry, but electricity is becoming an ever-larger part of the total energy picture, with the rise of electric vehicles, heat pumps, and battery storage. The road ahead is still long and not without obstacles, but the first half of 2025 may well be remembered as the moment the world’s energy system began to tip decisively toward a cleaner future.
