In a landmark shift for the global energy landscape, solar and wind power generation has outstripped rising electricity demand in the first half of 2025, marking a pivotal moment in the transition away from fossil fuels. According to the latest analysis from energy think tank Ember, released just after midnight on October 7 in London, global solar output skyrocketed by a record 31%—equivalent to 306 terawatt-hours (TWh)—while wind generation climbed 7.7% or 97 TWh. Combined, these renewables added over 400 TWh, exceeding the 2.6% global demand growth driven by economic expansion, electric vehicle adoption, data centers, population surges in developing nations, and intensified cooling needs due to climate-driven heatwaves.
For the first time on record, renewables collectively generated more electricity than coal, with clean sources now comprising a larger share of the mix and fossil fuel output dipping by a marginal 0.3%. This surge not only signals the feasibility of decarbonizing power systems but also hints at a plateau in emissions, as Ember's senior electricity analyst Malgorzata Wiatros-Motyka described it: a "turning point" where renewables can sustain the world's escalating energy appetite without exacerbating climate change.
Ember's comprehensive review, drawing from monthly data across 88 countries that encompass over 90% of global electricity production, underscores the transformative pace of renewable deployment. Solar's dominance is particularly striking, boosting its worldwide share from 6.9% in 2024 to 8.8% in early 2025, with four countries now deriving over 25% of their power from it and 29 surpassing 10%—up from just 11 in 2021. Wind, though growing more steadily, complements this boom, together enabling a decoupling of demand from dirty energy. Hydro output declined notably due to variable weather patterns, while bioenergy dipped slightly and nuclear edged up modestly, but the net result was a 12 million tonne (Mt) drop in CO2 emissions from the power sector.
In major emitters like China and India, which together represent nearly two-thirds of global electricity and emissions alongside the EU and US, renewables are proving their mettle: China's solar and wind additions alone outpaced the rest of the world's combined growth, slashing fossil generation by 2% and emissions by 46 Mt, while India's record clean energy expansion covered all demand increases, reducing emissions by 24 Mt. As Columbia University's Michael Gerrard noted, this debunks skeptics who claimed renewables couldn't displace fossils, highlighting an "encouraging step" toward genuine reductions.
Yet, challenges persist in key markets, particularly the United States and European Union, where policy and weather have tempered progress. In the US, demand growth—fueled by AI data centers and EVs—outstripped clean power additions, leading to a 33 Mt emissions rise and increased reliance on gas, which now holds a record 43% share. The Trump administration's pivot away from renewables has exacerbated this: terminating Biden-era funding for clean projects, repealing climate regulations, halting wind developments, and injecting millions into coal plants while lifting mining barriers.
Trump's recent UN General Assembly speech, dismissing renewables and climate science, has drawn expert ire, with Gerrard warning of a looming supply-demand gap as federal policies stifle the cheapest new sources—wind and solar—while supercharging electricity-hungry tech. The EU fared similarly, with sluggish wind and hydro output prompting a rebound in coal and gas, inflating emissions by 13 Mt. Despite these setbacks, Ember data shows solar's US boom (+64 TWh in 2024) and wind's steady gains (+32 TWh) are curbing coal's decline (-22 TWh), with states like California and Nevada hitting 30%+ solar shares, bolstered by battery storage absorbing up to 30% of peak output.
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Globally, the report paints an optimistic trajectory, with solar installations surging 64% to 380 gigawatts (GW) in H1 2025—more than double China's pace from the prior year—positioning the world for another record deployment year. Brazil, for instance, saw wind and solar claim over a third of electricity in August 2025, doubling their share since 2019 and averting emissions spikes despite 3.4% annual demand growth through 2030. Ember emphasizes that sustained investment in grid flexibility, storage, long-term contracts, and demand-side participation could accelerate this momentum, ensuring renewables not only meet but exceed needs at lower costs. As Project Drawdown's Amanda Smith expressed cautious optimism, "Renewables still have an opportunity to displace fossil fuels, even with demand growth"—a sentiment echoed worldwide, where clean power's rapid scaling is reshaping energy economics and curbing the extreme weather fueled by fossil emissions. With fossils' era waning, 2025's data heralds a renewables-led future, provided policies align with the physics of progress.
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