BRICS can lead clean energy transition, but new members are where fossil fuels predominate

In 2024, fossil-powered capacity fell below half of the total electricity mix for the BRICS group, driven by renewable growth in China, India, and Brazil. However, new BRICS members—including Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and Nigeria—show a stark gap between net-zero pledges and action, currently constructing ten times more fossil fuel capacity (25 GW) than wind and utility-scale solar (2.3 GW). Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are central to this expansion, backing 62% of all power capacity under construction in new member geographies, with particularly high involvement in hydropower (93%) and coal (88%).

• For the first time in 2024, fossil fuels no longer represent the majority of the total power capacity within the BRICS group, a milestone achieved through significant solar and wind growth in Brazil, India, and China.
• New BRICS members are prioritizing fossil fuel construction over renewables, with 25 GW of coal, oil, and gas capacity currently being built compared to only 2.3 GW of wind and utility-scale solar.
• There is a significant disparity between the development stages of energy projects in new BRICS members; while 97% of wind and utility-scale solar projects are only in early development, 44% of coal plants and 26% of oil and gas plants have reached the construction phase.
• The expansion of the BRICS group has concentrated global coal infrastructure, with the bloc now holding 94% of the world's construction and pre-construction coal plant capacity.
• Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) dominate the power sector buildout in new BRICS member countries, providing financing or engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for 62% of total capacity under construction, including 88% of coal and 93% of hydropower projects.
• Despite a 2021 pledge to stop building new coal plants abroad, Chinese finance and construction continue to support 7.7 GW of new coal capacity, primarily located in Indonesia.

APA

Norman, J. (2025). BRICS can lead clean energy transition, but new members are where fossil fuels predominate. Global Energy Monitor. https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/brics-can-lead-clean-energy-transition-new-members-where-fossil-fuels-predominate

Chicago

Norman, James. BRICS can lead clean energy transition, but new members are where fossil fuels predominate. Global Energy Monitor, 2025. https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/brics-can-lead-clean-energy-transition-new-members-where-fossil-fuels-predominate.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Norman |first1=James |title=BRICS can lead clean energy transition, but new members are where fossil fuels predominate |publisher=Global Energy Monitor |date=29 April 2025 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/brics-can-lead-clean-energy-transition-new-members-where-fossil-fuels-predominate |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{norman2025brics, author = {Norman, James}, title = {{BRICS can lead clean energy transition, but new members are where fossil fuels predominate}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2025}, month = apr, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/brics-can-lead-clean-energy-transition-new-members-where-fossil-fuels-predominate}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }