Global electricity generation trends reached a historic milestone in early 2025 when wind and solar power generated more electricity than coal plants for the first time.

Global electricity generation trends reached a historic milestone as the world’s wind and solar farms produced more electricity than coal plants during the first half of 2025. This achievement marks the first time that renewable energy sources have surpassed coal generation on a global scale.

The shift comes as solar and wind energy now grow fast enough to meet rising electricity demand worldwide, according to a report from climate research organization Ember. For the first six months of 2025, renewable energy not only kept pace with the world’s growing need for power but actually led to small decreases in both coal and natural gas use.

Solar power led the charge with production jumping almost a third higher than the same period in 2024. This surge in solar generation met 83% of the global increase in electricity demand. Wind power also contributed, growing by just over 7% during the same timeframe.

Ember’s senior electricity analyst Małgorzata Wiatros-Motyka called the development a crucial turning point in the global energy transition, noting that clean power is now keeping pace with demand growth.

The growth in renewable energy varied dramatically by region. China and India drove most of the world’s clean energy expansion, while the United States and Europe relied more heavily on fossil fuels during this period.

China alone added more renewable energy generation than all other countries combined. This massive buildout resulted in a 2% decrease in fossil fuel use during the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. The country continues to lead global electricity generation trends with its aggressive deployment of clean energy.

India’s renewable energy sector grew more than three times faster than its electricity demand, which remained weak this year. As a result, the country’s coal use fell by 3.1% and natural gas use plummeted by 34% during the first half of the year.

The United States showed a different pattern. Electricity demand outpaced the growth of renewable energy, forcing utilities to fire up coal plants more frequently. Coal generation in the US increased by 17% in the first six months of 2025.

Europe faced its own challenges despite modest demand growth. Weather patterns caused wind and hydropower production to drop significantly. Even though solar power increased rapidly, these shortfalls forced European countries to boost gas generation by 14% and coal generation by 1.1%.

The renewable energy sector now employs significantly more workers than the coal industry globally. As traditional coal mines and power plants close, renewable energy projects create jobs in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance. Solar panel installation alone has become one of the fastest-growing occupations in many countries.

Looking ahead, the International Energy Agency projects that global renewable capacity could more than double by 2030. Solar power is expected to account for 80% of all new clean energy capacity added during this period. The term “solar PV” refers to photovoltaic panels that convert sunlight directly into electricity.

China will maintain its position as the world’s largest market for renewable energy growth through the end of the decade. India is projected to emerge as the second largest growth market during this same period.

Energy storage technology is advancing rapidly to address the natural variations in wind and solar output. Battery systems now store excess renewable energy during peak production hours and release it when the sun sets or the wind dies down. These storage solutions are becoming more affordable and larger in scale, with some facilities capable of powering hundreds of thousands of homes for several hours.

Major coal plant closures are planned across multiple continents over the next five years. The United States alone has scheduled the retirement of over 40 gigawatts of coal capacity by 2030, enough to power roughly 30 million homes. Europe plans to phase out most of its remaining coal plants by 2030, while several Asian countries have announced moratoriums on new coal plant construction.

The shift away from coal carries significant environmental implications. Coal-fired power plants are the single largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the electricity sector. Each megawatt-hour of electricity generated from coal produces approximately one ton of carbon dioxide, compared to zero direct emissions from wind and solar energy.

The renewable energy milestone arrived faster than many experts predicted just a few years ago. Rapidly falling costs for solar panels and wind turbines have made clean energy increasingly competitive with fossil fuels, even in the absence of government subsidies in many markets. 

The transformation of global electricity generation trends shows no signs of slowing. Investment in renewable energy reached record levels in 2024 and is expected to continue accelerating in 2025. As technology improves and costs decline further, the gap between renewable energy and fossil fuels is expected to widen in favour of clean power sources.