Overview

• Ember’s analysis of monthly data from 88 countries covering roughly 93% of demand shows renewables generated 5,072 TWh in the first half of 2025 versus coal’s 4,896 TWh.
• Solar provided about 83% of the increase in global electricity demand, with solar generation up 31% year over year; global power‑sector emissions edged down an estimated 0.2%.
• China added more solar and wind than the rest of the world combined and cut fossil generation by about 2%, while India’s clean power growth outpaced demand and reduced coal and gas use.
• In contrast, fossil generation rose in the US and EU due to fast demand growth and weaker wind and hydro output, with US coal generation reported higher in H1 2025.
• The IEA projects renewable capacity to reach about 2.6 times 2022 levels by 2030—roughly 4,600 GW with solar supplying about 80% of growth—after downgrading its outlook, including a near‑50% cut to the US forecast.