CHANGE IS IN THE AIR

For the first time, wind, solar and other renewables are outpacing coal as a global energy source this year

- BY ALEXA ST. JOHN

Worldwide solar and wind power generation has outpaced electricity demand this year, and for the first time on record, renewable energies combined generated more power than coal, according to a new analysis.

Global solar generation grew by a record 31% in the first half of the year, and wind generation grew by 7.7%, according to the report by the energy think tank Ember, which was released after midnight Tuesday London time.

Solar and wind generation combined grew by more than 400 terawatt hours, which was more than overall global demand increased in the same period, it found.

The findings suggest it is possible for the world to wean off polluting sources of power — even as demand for electricity skyrockets — with continued investment in renewables including solar, wind, hydropower, bioenergy and geothermal energies.

"That means that they can keep up the pace with growing appetite for electricity worldwide," said Małgorzata Wiatros-Motyka, senior electricity analyst at Ember and lead author of the study.

At the same time, total fossil fuel generation dropped slightly, by less than 1%.

"The fall overall of fossil may be small, but it is significant," said Wiatros-Motyka. "This is a turning point when we see emissions plateauing."