Renewable energy has overtaken coal as the world’s largest source of electricity for the first time, marking a historic milestone in the global energy transition, according to new data from energy think tank Ember.
In the first half of this year, rapid growth in solar and wind power met all of the world’s increased electricity demand, even contributing to a modest decline in coal and gas use.
However, Ember warned that the global picture remains uneven. Developing nations, particularly China are leading the clean energy surge, while wealthier regions such as the United States and the European Union have become more dependent on fossil fuels for electricity generation.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects this divide to widen. In a separate report, the IEA halved its forecast for US renewable growth this decade, citing the policies of President Donald Trump’s administration. It now predicts the US will add just 250GW of new renewable capacity by 2030, down from an earlier forecast of 500GW.
Coal remains the single largest energy source worldwide, a position it has held for more than half a century but the shift marks a symbolic turning point in global power generation.
China continues to dominate clean energy expansion, adding more solar and wind capacity than the rest of the world combined. The resulting growth in renewable generation outpaced its electricity demand and drove a 2% fall in fossil fuel use.
India also expanded its solar and wind infrastructure and slowed its demand growth, allowing it to reduce coal and gas dependence.
By contrast, the US saw electricity demand rise faster than renewable output, increasing reliance on fossil fuels. In Europe, weak wind and hydropower generation forced utilities to turn back to coal and gas to meet demand.
The IEA report underscores the growing policy gap between major economies, with China exporting record levels of clean energy technology while the US shifts focus toward promoting oil and gas exports.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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