Renewables overtake coal for first time on record - analysis

THE world may be reaching a “crucial turning point” in the shift towards clean power, a think tank said as its analysis showed renewable generation overtook coal globally for the first time on record.

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Solar and wind outpaced the growth in global electricity demand in the first half of 2025, according to Ember, a global energy research organisation.

The team analysed monthly electricity data from 88 countries, representing 93% of global demand, and then estimated changes in the remaining generation to form a worldwide picture.

It found that renewables generated more power than coal for the first time, and that overall both coal and gas generation saw a slight decline globally, compared to the first six months of 2024.

Malgorzata Wiatros-Motyka, senior electricity analyst at Ember, said: “We are seeing the first signs of a crucial turning point.

“Solar and wind are now growing fast enough to meet the world’s growing appetite for electricity.