Clean energy has hit a milestone that once looked out of reach.
A global analysis by Ember found that, for the first time, renewable power generated more electricity than the growth in global demand required in 2025, according to The Associated Press.
The report said clean power generation rose by 887 terawatt-hours last year, ahead of the global increase in electricity demand of 849 terawatt-hours. It marked a break from previous decades, when rising demand almost always meant greater use of coal, oil and gas.
“We’re now moving into a world where that’s no longer the case,” said Nicolas Fulghum, Ember senior data analyst and lead author of the report, per AP.
Solar was a major driver. In 2025, solar alone expanded by 30 percent, meeting nearly three-quarters of the increase in global electricity demand. Together, solar and wind made up 99 percent of that growth.
Coal, oil and gas production, meanwhile, fell by about 0.2 percent in 2025. The AP reported that last year was one of the rare times this century when the use of those fuels did not increase.
The shift is also showing up in the global electricity mix. Renewables now account for more than one-third of global electricity for the first time in modern history, while coal’s share has fallen below one-third.
China and India, long linked with heavy coal, oil and gas use, both recorded declines in generation last year as they quickly expanded solar and wind capacity. Together, they made up a significant share of global clean energy growth.
They’re “now aggressively pursuing a strategy of diversification through bringing renewables into the mix. And those are the sources that are the biggest drivers of change in their power system today,” Fulghum added, per AP.
The AP also reported that more clean energy can help steady electricity prices and make power systems more resilient during extreme weather or global fuel disruptions.
“As we’re seeing the cost of oil be incredibly volatile right now because of the [Iran] war, I think more and more people are looking to that national security argument as a reason to think about how we electrify more and and how we’re able to take advantage of additional solar and wind, which does not rely on other countries,” said Alexis Abramson, dean of the Columbia University Climate School, per AP.
Abramson said the shift has reached an important point.
“We’ve really crossed this important threshold that clean energy now can meet rising demand economically and at the same time really help address national security concerns,” Abramson added. “The next challenge is really turning that into a steady decline of fossil fuel use as well. So it’s a great step in the right direction.”
Read more from the Associated Press.
