For the First Time In History, Renewable Energy Generation Surpassed Coal Globally

Renewable energy has never been recorded in history, but this time, it has surpassed coal as the major source of electricity in the world. According to the data released by energy think tank Ember, renewables produced more than coal, 5,072 TWh to 4,896 TWh in the period of January- June 2025, despite the increased global electricity demand by 2.6%. This achievement demonstrates that solar and wind are no longer auxiliary, but they are determining most of the new growth in energy.

Solar energy was at the forefront with a massive growth of 31 per cent year on year, and wind energy also grew tremendously. Combined, these sources now constitute 34.3 percent of the world's power mix, surpassing that of coal at 33.1 percent.

A large portion of this growth is driven by the fast clean energy implementation in China and India, whereby new projects are overtaking the fossil fuel development.

Nonetheless, scholars warn that such a transition is not a given one. In the absence of speedy investment in electricity grids, energy storage, and supply chains, the progress may stop. Even in other parts of the world, such as the U.S. and some parts of Europe, policy uncertainty and lower hydroelectric power production have triggered some utilities to revert to coal and gas.

The world energy situation is changing, and this historic event is an indicator of a future that will be more and more based on clean energy, but it also points to the efforts that are to be done to achieve the stability of a reliable grid.