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The world may be reaching a “turning point” in the shift towards clean power, a think tank said after its analysis showed coal outpacing renewable generation globally for the first time on record.
solar According to AMBER, a global energy research organisation, wind is expected to drive global electricity demand growth in the first half of 2025.
The team analyzed monthly electricity data from 88 countries, representing 93% of global demand, and then projected changes in remaining generation to build a worldwide picture.
It found that renewables generated more electricity than coal for the first time, and overall coal and gas production both saw slight declines globally, compared to the first six months of 2024.
Maygorzata Wiatros-Motyka, senior electricity analyst at Amber, said: “We are seeing the first signs of a turning point.
“Solar and wind are now growing fast enough to meet the world’s growing appetite for electricity.
“This marks the beginning of a shift where clean power is keeping pace with demand growth.”
The findings indicate that global electricity demand grew by 2.6% in the first half of 2025 – by 369 terawatt hours (TWh) compared to the first half of last year.
But in terms of supply, renewables generated 5,072 TWh of global electricity – which marked an increase of 4,709 TWh from the first six months of 2024, Amber said.
This means that renewables were found to overtake coal generation at 4,896 TWh, which was down 0.3% or 31 TWh year-on-year.
The analysis also shows that solar and wind grew together quickly enough that they can now meet the increase in total demand in some circumstances, while fossil fuels saw a global decline.
Amber said solar grew 83% year over year due to record growth in generation, equating to 306 terawatt hours and a 31% year-over-year increase.
Meanwhile, the overall decline in fossil fuel production was found to be 0.3% – a reduction of 27 TWh.
As a result, AMBER estimates that global electricity sector emissions fell 0.2% in the first six months of 2025.
The researchers said the drop is modest but significant and that the rise of renewables will likely boost demand over the longer and longer term.
In the context of the four largest economies, China And India Both see a decline in fossil production in the first half of 2025, as clean electricity growth outweighs demand.
In contrast, fossil generation grew in the US and EU, with the former seeing increased demand for clean power and the latter seeing weaker wind and hydro outputs.
Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council, said: “This analysis confirms what we are seeing on the ground: solar and wind are no longer marginal technologies – they are driving the global electricity system forward.
“The fact that renewables were introduced for the first time marks a historic change.
“But to lock in this progress, governments and industry must accelerate investment in solar, wind and battery storage, ensuring that clean, affordable and reliable electricity reaches communities everywhere.”
Julia Skorupska, head of secretariat at the Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA), said: “Renewables overtaking coal for the first time is a sign of how the economics of power generation have changed.
“There is a clear economic case for replacing coal with renewables, which are now the cheapest form of energy in much of the world.
“The transition from coal to renewables reduces competition, enables energy security, creates good jobs and reduces electricity prices and air pollution risks for citizens.
“With COP30 around the corner, countries have an opportunity to work together to accelerate this change.”
Climate Minister Katie White said: “The world is moving forward on clean energy and climate action because countries can see it is in their national interests and energy security.
“That’s why in the UK we are getting on with delivering our clean energy mission – it’s securing billions of pounds in investment for local communities, supporting skilled jobs and generating economic growth across the country.”