New analysis from the energy think tank Ember reveals a significant yet modest shift in the world’s power landscape. Researchers say that solar and wind growth surpassed coal for the first time on record in the first half of 2025. The study indicates that the rapid expansion of clean energy is outpacing the growth in global electricity demand.

As a result, it led to a small but crucial initial decline in fossil fuel generation.

According to Ember’s analysis, the combination of record solar generation and steady wind expansion has begun to reshape the global power mix.

A Turning Point in Global Energy

Global electricity demand increased 2.6% in the first six months of 2025, an addition of 369 TWh over the same period last year. Crucially, solar alone met this rise, thanks to a year-on-year growth that added 306 TWh of generation.

This explosive growth meant that solar and wind were not only fast enough to cover rising demand but also began to replace existing fossil fuel sources. Consequently, coal generation fell by $0.6\%$ (-31 TWh) and gas by $0.2\%$ (-6 TWh). While other fossil generation rose slightly, the total decline in fossil fuel power was $0.3\%$ (-27 TWh), resulting in a $0.2\%$ drop in global power sector emissions.

For the first time ever on record, renewables supplied 5,072 TWh of global electricity, overtaking coal, which generated 4,896 TWh.

Researchers say the small drop in fossil fuel generation is “modest but significant.” They explain that clean power is capable of meeting total demand growth in certain circumstances. The trend is likely to accelerate if wind and solar continue to rise.

“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,” said Ember researcher Małgorzata Wiatros-Motyka. “This marks the beginning of a shift where clean power is keeping pace with demand growth.”