Renewables Overtake Coal as Solar & Wind Outpace Demand Growth
Solar and wind power grew faster than global electricity demand in the first half of 2025, allowing renewables to overtake coal for the first time in the global power mix, according to new data from energy think tank Ember. The findings, published in Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2025, are based on national generation data from January to June and show that record solar growth and steady wind output together met nearly all of the rise in electricity demand, leading to a slight fall in fossil fuel generation compared with the same period last year.
Solar alone supplied 83% of the world’s increase in electricity generation, driven by strong deployment in China, the United States, and several emerging markets. Wind generation held steady, maintaining its position as a key contributor to the shift away from fossil fuels. Overall, fossil power output declined in China and India but rose slightly in the European Union and the United States, leaving global fossil generation marginally lower year-on-year.
As electricity becomes a growing share of global energy use, Ember said “spectacular solar growth, alongside increased wind generation, met and exceeded all new demand.” This allowed renewables to overtake coal’s share in the global mix and prevented further increases in CO₂ emissions from the power sector—a milestone that signals how rapidly the world’s electricity system is changing.