Renewables overtake coal as world’s biggest energy source

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October 8, 2025
3 min read

Renewables overtake coal as world’s biggest energy source

Renewables have surpassed coal as the leading source of electricity during the first half of 2025 in a historic first, new data from global energy think tank Ember has found. Demand for electricity continues to grow worldwide but the rise in solar and wind is such that it met 100% of the additional demand, helping bring about a small decline in the use of coal and gas.

But the headlines, Ember says, hide a mixed picture globally. Developing countries, China in particular, led the renewables charge, while richer countries, including the US and EU, relied more than before on fossil fuels for their energy.

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This divide will likely continue, a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) said. Renewables, it predicted, would grow less strongly, thanks in part to policies of US President Donald Trump. Coal continued to be the largest individual source of electricity, having held the position for over half a century, the IEA said.

While China continues to add to its fleet of coal power stations, it remains ahead in the growth of clean energy, adding greater solar and wind capacity than every other country combined. This allowed growth in renewable energy to outpace rising demand, reducing its fossil fuel generation by 2%.

The US on the other hand saw demand outpace clean energy output with an increased reliance on fossil fuels. Many EU countries saw week wind and hydropower performance, leading to more coal and gas for electricity.

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