• Renewables generated 34% of power, surpassing coal at 33%

• Clean energy met all demand growth; fossil generation fell slightly

• China led expansion, dominating new solar and wind capacity

Renewable energy sources exceeded coal in global electricity generation for the first time since 1919, accounting for 34% of total output compared with 33% for coal. That is according to the Global Electricity Review 2026, published on April 21 by the energy think tank Ember, which also noted a decline in coal-fired electricity generation for the first time since 2020.

The shift confirms a trend already evident in the first half of last year, when solar, wind and other green energy sources collectively generated more electricity than coal globally for the first time.

The report found that clean electricity met all growth in global demand, preventing any increase in fossil fuel generation. Low-carbon electricity generation rose by 887 TWh in 2025, surpassing the 849 TWh increase in demand.

"Solar power alone met 75% of the net increase in electricity demand. Together with wind, the two sources met almost all (99%) demand growth. For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, and only the fifth time this century, fossil generation did not rise, recording a small fall of 38 TWh (-0.2%)," the report's authors said.

According to the think tank, China continues to widen its lead over the rest of the world in renewable energy deployment, accounting for more than half of new solar capacity installed and nearly two-thirds of new wind farms in 2025.

Positive signs for the energy transition

This symbolic shift toward clean energy comes after a year marked by new global records for renewables. Driven by falling costs and supportive policies, solar, wind and other green technologies had a historic year.

According to a report published in early April by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), global capacity reached 5,149 GW by the end of 2025, after a record addition of 692 GW, representing annual growth of 15.5%. Earlier, in January, research firm BloombergNEF (BNEF) reported that global investment in the energy transition reached a new record of $2.3 trillion in 2025, up 8% year on year.

This momentum is primarily driven by electric transport, which attracted $893 billion in investment for electric vehicle purchases and charging infrastructure deployment. Clean energy ranked second, drawing $690 billion.

Amid geopolitical tensions, with the war in Iran disrupting global oil and gas flows and driving up hydrocarbon prices, some observers expect renewed interest in renewables.

Ember cautioned that this historic milestone does not signal the end of fossil fuels. "These developments point to a shift in the underlying dynamics of the power system: clean electricity is increasingly meeting demand growth. This transition remains uneven and incomplete. Fossil fuels continue to play a significant role, and progress varies across regions," said Bryony Worthington, founder and chair of Ember's board.

Espoir Olodo