Solar and wind farms generated more electricity than coal for the first time on record this year, but US and Chinese policy shifts are slowing growth, putting a global 2030 target out of reach, recent reports said.
the surge in renewable use marks a milestone in efforts to turn away from fossil fuels, which are responsible for most of the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change. Renewables’ share of global electricity rose to 34.3 percent in the first half of the year, while coal fell to 33.1 percent and gas maintained its 23-percent share, according to Ember, an energy think tank. ‘We are seeing the first signs of a crucial turning point,’ said Malgorzata Wiatros-Motyka, senior electricity analyst at Ember. ‘Solar and wind are now growing fast enough to meet the world’s growing appetite for electricity. ‘This marks the beginning of a shift where clean power is keeping pace with demand growth,’ she said.
the report found that solar power generation jumped by a record 31 percent in the first six months of 2025, far outpacing wind, which grew 7.7 percent. Coal fell by 0.6 percent while global gas generation inched down by 0.2 percent.