Global renewable power output overtakes coal for the first time, report says
Renewable energy sources generated more electricity than coal globally for the first time in the first half of 2025, driven by rapid growth in China and India, a report by think tank Ember showed on Tuesday.
Curbing coal power generation, which emits around double the amount of carbon dioxide as gas generation, is regarded as vital by most scientists to meeting global climate targets.
Renewables, such as wind and solar, supplied 5 072 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity globally between January and June, surpassing coal's 4 896 TWh, Ember said.
"We are seeing the first signs of a crucial turning point," said Małgorzata Wiatros-Motyka, senior electricity analyst at Ember. "Solar and wind are now growing fast enough to meet the world's growing appetite for electricity."
Global electricity demand increased 2.6%, or 369 TWh, in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, which was more than met by a 306 TWh increase in solar power and a 97 TWh in wind power output.
The shift to renewables was driven largely by China and India. China, the world's largest electricity consumer, reduced fossil-fuel generation by 2% while its solar and wind generation grew by 43% and 16% respectively, the Ember report said.
In India there were increases in wind and solar generation of 29% and 31% respectively, which helped the country reduce coal and gas use by 3.1%, the report showed.
Fossil-fuel generation, however, rose in both the United States and European Union during the same period, as stronger demand growth and weaker wind and hydropower output forced greater reliance on coal and gas.
In the US, coal generation rose by 17% as gas generation fell by 3.9% while in Europe gas-fired power generation rose by 14% and coal by 1.1%, the report said.
US President Donald Trump, a climate-change sceptic, earlier this year signed executive orders aimed at boosting coal production and last month also pledged support for coal-fired power plants.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
Avlock International is a leading manufacturer and distributor of Specialized Fastening Systems.
VISIT SHOWROOM
As one of South Africa's leading manufacturers, Bell Equipment distributes and exports its wide range of heavy equipment globally to mining,...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
