Renewables Beat Coal Globally for First Time in History

The world just flipped the switch on a century of power generation, and the lights are shining brighter than ever.

Renewable energy officially overtook coal as the planet's largest electricity source in 2025, according to research from Ember, a global energy think tank. For the first time in over 100 years, clean power generates more electricity worldwide than any single fossil fuel.

Solar power drove this historic shift with record-breaking growth. Generation jumped 30% in just one year, adding 636 terawatt hours of clean electricity. That's double the entire annual electricity demand of the United Kingdom.

Wind energy added another 205 terawatt hours to the clean energy surge. Together, solar and wind met 99% of global electricity demand growth in 2025, leaving almost no room for fossil fuels to expand.

The numbers tell a compelling story of rapid transformation. Coal power dropped below one-third of global electricity generation for the first time in history. Meanwhile, total fossil fuel generation actually fell by 0.2%, marking the first decline driven by clean energy growth rather than economic downturns.

The Ripple Effect

This shift creates cascading benefits beyond cleaner air. The global electric vehicle fleet continued expanding, displacing 1.8 million barrels of oil per day in 2025. New EVs purchased last year alone replaced half a million barrels daily.

Solar's single-year growth exceeded all the electricity that could be generated from liquid natural gas exports through the Strait of Hormuz. That's roughly 81 million tonnes of gas that the world no longer needs to burn for power.

The transformation happened faster than most experts predicted just a few years ago. What makes this moment different from past dips in fossil fuel use is that it stems from permanent infrastructure changes, not temporary economic shocks.

Countries worldwide are installing solar panels and wind turbines at unprecedented rates. This infrastructure will generate clean power for decades, making the shift away from fossil fuels increasingly irreversible.

The momentum shows no signs of slowing, with solar installations continuing to break records and costs continuing to fall.