2025 in Review

In 2025, global electricity generation reached a historic milestone as renewables overtook coal power for the first time in 100 years, accounting for 33.8% of the global mix. This shift was driven by a record increase in solar power generation (636 TWh), which alone met 75% of the global electricity demand growth. Consequently, global fossil generation saw a slight decline of 38 TWh, marking the first such decrease since 2020 outside of a global recession or exceptionally mild year. This trend was most prominent in China and India, where fossil generation fell for the first time simultaneously in the 21st century. While Asia remains the only region where coal still exceeds renewables, the global emissions intensity of electricity fell to 458 gCO2e per kilowatt hour in 2025.

• Renewables surpassed coal power as the primary source of global electricity generation for the first time in a century, with renewables reaching a 33.8% share (10,730 TWh) and coal falling to 33.0% (10,476 TWh).
• Solar power experienced record growth in 2025, increasing by 636 TWh (+30%), which met 75% of the total global electricity demand increase of 849 TWh.
• Global fossil fuel generation declined by 38 TWh (-0.2%) in 2025, the first such decrease since the 2020 pandemic that was not caused by a global recession or extreme weather.
• China and India both saw declines in fossil generation in 2025, the first time this has occurred simultaneously in both countries this century, leading to a combined power sector emissions drop of 79 MtCO2e.
• China maintained its global lead in clean energy deployment, accounting for 58% of global solar installations (378 GW(DC)) and 72% of global wind deployment (119 GW) in 2025.
• The global emissions intensity of electricity production fell to 458 gCO2e per kilowatt hour in 2025, a 2.7% decrease from 2024 and a 16% decrease from 2005.
• Asia is the only world region where coal power still exceeds renewables, with coal at 52% and renewables at 32% of the generation mix in 2025.

APA

Ember (2026). 2025 in Review. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/2025-in-review/

Chicago

Ember. 2025 in Review. 2026. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/2025-in-review/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=2025 in Review |date=21 April 2026 |url=https://ember-energy.org/chapter/2025-in-review/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ember20262025, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{2025 in Review}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://ember-energy.org/chapter/2025-in-review/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }