Renewable energy generated more power than coal for the first time on record in the first half of this year, according to a report by energy think-tank Ember, preventing further increases in CO2 emissions from the electricity sector.
Solar and wind energy growth has more than met that of global electricity demand and has started to replace coal and gas, according to the report. Global electricity demand grew by 2.6pc, or 369 TWh, on the year in the first half of 2025, an increase met by growing solar (+306 TWh, +31pc) and wind power (+97 TWh, +7.7pc) generation, the report shows.
Overall fossil generation fell marginally in the same period, by 0.3pc.
"Renewables supplied 5,072 TWh of global electricity, up from 4,709 TWh in the same period in 2024, overtaking coal at 4,896 TWh, down 31 TWh year-on-year," it said. Although power demand rose in the first six months of this year, emissions from the power sector remained steady, falling by 0.2pc, or 12mn t of CO2.
"Without solar and wind growth, emissions would have risen by an estimated 236mn t CO2 (+3.9pc) globally, which is equivalent to almost all emissions (251mn t CO2) from Africa in the first half of this year," the report said.
Fossil fuel power generation and emissions from the power sector in China and India fell on the year in the first half of this year, with renewables growth outpacing demand. But they grew in the EU and the US. EU fossil fuel generation rose because wind and hydro power underperformed, the report said.
"China remained the leader in clean energy growth, adding more solar and wind than the rest of the world combined, helping to cut China's fossil generation by 2pc, 58.7 TWh, in the first half of 2025," the report said.
Global solar generation in January-June rose by 31pc on the year, taking its share of the global electricity mix to 8.8pc, from 6.9pc.
Among the top 20 largest solar generators in absolute terms, seven countries — Hungary, Greece, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Spain, Australia and Germany — generated 20pc or more of their electricity from solar in the first six months of 2025.
Ember said it expects the "exponential rise" of renewables to likely "outstrip demand growth for longer and longer periods, cementing the decline of fossil generation".
