Solar Met 75% of Global Power Demand Growth in 2025

The sun just won its biggest victory yet in the race to power our planet.

Solar generation jumped by a staggering 636 terawatt-hours in 2025, the largest single-year increase of any power source ever recorded outside coal's post-pandemic rebound. That surge met 75% of all new global electricity demand, according to energy think tank Ember's latest Global Electricity Review.

The numbers tell a story of transformation. Renewables crossed one-third of global power generation for the first time in 2025, reaching 33.8% and surpassing coal in a watershed moment. Solar generation alone hit 2,778 terawatt-hours, overtaking wind to become the world's fastest-growing electricity source.

This wasn't just growth. It was acceleration. Solar's year-over-year increases climbed from 331 terawatt-hours in 2023 to 479 in 2024, before hitting the record 636 in 2025.

The expansion happened everywhere. Countries added 647 gigawatts of new solar capacity in 2025, an 11% jump from the previous year. Those additions reflect a simple economic reality: solar panel prices have plummeted 90% between 2015 and 2024.

China led the charge, installing 378 gigawatts of solar capacity, equivalent to 58% of global additions. Solar alone met two-thirds of China's electricity demand growth, even as the country's overall power needs surged by 503 terawatt-hours.

India recorded its own breakthrough. The nation saw fossil fuel generation drop by 52 terawatt-hours while renewable output soared 24% to 98 terawatt-hours, driven primarily by solar and wind.

Beyond the big players, developing economies are embracing the shift. Brazil and Pakistan met 100% or more of their electricity demand growth with low-carbon sources. In Pakistan, distributed solar paired with battery storage supported 4.5% annual demand growth while simultaneously cutting fossil fuel use.

Even the United States leaned heavily on clean power, with solar helping renewables supply 88% of new electricity demand.

The Ripple Effect

This solar surge created a historic first: fossil fuel generation actually declined globally in 2025, dropping by 38 terawatt-hours. China and India, which together account for 42% of global fossil fuel generation, both recorded significant decreases despite strong economic growth.

The shift reflects more than environmental progress. In 2024, 90% of newly installed renewable projects globally cost less than the cheapest fossil fuel alternatives. Solar isn't just cleaner anymore. It's cheaper.

The transformation reaches beyond electricity meters into everyday lives. Cleaner air, reduced carbon emissions, and stable energy costs are becoming the new normal in regions making the switch.

The pace of change keeps accelerating, and the sun is only getting started.