In the first half of 2025, renewable energy sources generated more electricity than coal globally for the first time, according to a report by Ember.
This shift is important for reducing carbon emissions, as coal production emits about twice the carbon dioxide as natural gas. Renewables like wind and solar produced 5,072 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity, while coal generated 4,896 TWh.
Małgorzata Wiatros-Motyka from Ember noted this is a critical turning point, highlighting the rapid growth of solar and wind energy to meet rising global electricity demands, which increased by 2.6% or 369 TWh compared to the same period in 2024.
The growth in renewable energy was largely driven by China and India. China cut fossil-fuel generation by 2%, while its solar and wind output grew by 43% and 16%. India also saw increases in wind and solar generation by 29% and 31%, respectively, reducing coal and gas use by 3.1%.
Conversely, fossil-fuel generation rose in the U. S. and the EU. In the U. S., coal generation went up by 17%, while in Europe, gas-fired power increased by 14%.
with information from Reuters