Global analysis

In the first half of 2025, global solar and wind generation grew sufficiently to exceed total electricity demand growth, resulting in renewables overtaking coal in the global electricity mix for the first time. While global power sector CO2 emissions fell marginally by 0.2%, results varied by region, with emissions decreasing in China and India but increasing in the US and EU.

• For the first time on record, renewables overtook coal in the global electricity mix during the first half of 2025. Renewables increased by 363 TWh (+7.7%) to reach a 34.3% share, while coal generation fell by 31 TWh (-0.6%) to a 33.1% share.
• Solar generation experienced its fastest absolute growth on record in H1-2025, increasing by 306 TWh (+31%). Solar alone met 83% of the global increase in electricity demand, raising its share of global generation to 8.8%. China was the primary driver, accounting for 55% (168 TWh) of the global solar increase.
• Global electricity demand rose by 369 TWh (+2.6%) in the first half of 2025, a slower pace than the 731 TWh (+5.3%) increase in the same period of the previous year. This growth was heavily concentrated in four major polluters, which together accounted for 81% of the rise: China (54%), the US (21%), India (3.3%), and the EU (2.4%).
• Global CO2 emissions from the power sector decreased marginally by 12 MtCO2 (-0.2%) to 6,963 MtCO2 in H1-2025. This decline was driven by emissions drops in China (-46 MtCO2, -1.7%) and India (-24 MtCO2, -3.6%), which offset emission increases in the US (+33 MtCO2, +4.3%) and the EU (+13 MtCO2, +4.8%).

APA

Ember (2025). Global analysis. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/global-analysis/

Chicago

Ember. Global analysis. 2025. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/global-analysis/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=Global analysis |date=7 October 2025 |url=https://ember-energy.org/chapter/global-analysis/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ember2025global, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{Global analysis}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2025}, month = oct, url = {https://ember-energy.org/chapter/global-analysis/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }