Renewables Outpace Coal in Global Electricity Production for First Time in Over 100 Years

The global energy landscape has witnessed a historic turning point in 2025, as renewable energy sources, primarily solar, wind, and hydro, have collectively generated more electricity than coal for the first time in over a century. This landmark achievement, highlighted in the seventh edition of Ember's Global Electricity Review, underscores a fundamental shift in the world's energy paradigm.

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The world is entering an era of clean growth and exiting an era of fossil fuel-based growth in the electricity sector.

The report, which analyzes data from 91 countries representing 93% of global electricity demand, reveals that renewables captured 33.8% of worldwide electricity production. This surge is largely attributed to the "rapid and continuous growth of solar generation," complemented by contributions from wind power. Conversely, coal-fired electricity generation saw a slight decline of 0.6%, settling at 33% of the global share. This marks the first time since 1919 that coal has fallen below one-third of global electricity production, signaling a definitive move away from the fossil fuel that has long dominated the sector.

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The rapid growth of solar and wind energy makes this milestone very likely permanent.

Analysts like Nicolas Fulghum, a co-author of the study, emphasize that this crossover is not a fleeting trend but a permanent structural change. The consistent decline of coal's share over the past decade, from 39% in 2015 to 33% in 2025, contrasts sharply with the rise of renewables, which grew from 23% to 34% in the same period. This "abundance of clean electricity" is paving the way for the electrification of other sectors, such as transportation, thereby reducing the overall demand for fossil fuels across the economy. The International Energy Agency (IEA) further corroborates this trend, noting the stagnation in global oil demand growth and the continued rise of electric vehicle sales, reinforcing the momentum towards a cleaner energy future.

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The share of coal has fallen steadily over the last decade, from 39% in 2015 to 33% in 2025. In contrast, renewables increased from 23% to 34% in the same period and are expected to continue growing rapidly in the coming years.