Analysts claim this represents ‘a crucial turning point’ in our journey to clean power.
Globally, both coal and gas-based electricity production saw slight declines between 2024 and 2025, while sources such as wind and solar grew at faster rate than demand for power in throughout the first half of 2025.
The data used to determine the trend represents 93% of global electricity use, with real demand across 88 countries included. The remaining states were factored in through estimates.
‘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. ‘This marks the beginning of a shift where clean power is keeping pace with demand growth.’
Renewables now generate 5,072 terawatt hours [TWh] of electricity per year, compared with coal and gas, which produce 4,896 TWh, down by 0.3% year-on-year. The world’s population used 369 TWh more power in the six months to June 2026 than it did in the same period in 2024.
‘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,’ Sonia Dunlop, chief executive of Global Solar Council. ‘The fact that renewables have overtaken coal for the first time marks a historic shift.’
However, the reality is a much more mixed picture than figures may initially suggest. In the US and EU for example, fossil fuel generation actually grew, while China and India saw these legacy power sources fall over the same period.
‘The world is moving on clean energy and climate action, because countries can see it is in their national interests and the route to energy security,’ said UK Minister for Climate, Katie White
‘That’s why in Britain we’re getting on with delivering our clean energy mission – it is securing billions of pounds in investment for local communities, supporting skilled jobs and creating economic growth across the country,’ she continued.
Image: Anna Jiménez Calaf / Unsplash
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