Renewables surpass global coal generation for the first time in history
The global overtaking has been caused by a sharp increase in wind power, while Catalonia remains anchored to fossil fuel generation.
BarcelonaA historic and global milestone for renewable energy generation. A sharp increase in solar energy, and to a lesser extent wind energy, during the first half of this year has meant that for the first time in history the dominant energy source for electricity production is not fossil fuels. Renewables increased by 363 TWh (+7.7%) to reach 5,072 TWh, while coal generation decreased by 31 TWh to 4,896 TWh. With this performance, the share of renewables in global electricity increased from 32.7% to 34.3%, while that of coal decreased from 34.2% to 33.1%, according to data published this Tuesday by think tank British Ember.
This overtaking This represents a turning point in the global energy mix, placing renewable electricity generation as the dominant player at a time of growing climatic and geopolitical instability, as well as economic uncertainty. In fact, the International Energy Agency (IEA) this week revised its growth forecasts for renewable electricity downward, primarily due to the anti-green energy policies of US President Donald Trump. Specifically, the agency has cut its estimates for 2030 by 5% compared to the previous forecast.
Specifically, solar and wind generation outpaced total electricity demand growth in the first half of this year. Solar power alone accounted for 83% of the increase and set new records for both growth and generation: it increased by 306 TWh (+31%), well above the growth recorded by wind power, which grew by 97 TWh (+7.7%).
Among other low-carbon sources, nuclear generation increased by 33 TWh (+2.5%), and other renewables by 3.6 TWh (+4.7%). Meanwhile, hydropower decreased by 42 TWh (-2%) and bioenergy by 2.7 TWh (-1%). Total fossil fuel generation decreased by 27 TWh (-0.3%), as coal fell by 31 TWh (-0.6%) and gas by 6.3 TWh (-0.2%), offsetting a small increase in other fossil fuels (+10 TWh, +2.5%).
A more competitive technology
This is because coal use and emissions declined in China and India, as wind and solar met the entire growth in electricity demand. In the EU, gas and, to a lesser extent, coal increased their generation to offset declines in hydropower, bioenergy, and wind generation. In the United States, coal also grew, but gas declined due to the transition from gas to coal and the fact that renewable generation did not increase enough to meet demand growth.
The European Union generated 8.8% (1,303 TWh) of global electricity and 4% (293 MtCO₂) of global power sector emissions from January to June. Although solar power grew more than demand, poor conditions for wind and hydropower led to a drop in their production, according to Ember.
"It is evidence of a trend that the world is following. At the beginning of this century, renewables stopped being an anecdote and became a reality in energy generation. Now, the big difference has been that, with the improvement in technology, in the last 10 years this technology has reached a level of... explained to ARA the co-delegate of the main association of photovoltaic companies in Catalonia (Unefcat), Salvador Salat.
Catalonia, anchored in fossil energy
Globally, solar energy's share of global electricity generation grew by 8.8% in the first half of the year, an increase explained by the record figures posted by several economies around the world. Among the top 20 solar energy generators in absolute terms, a total of seven countries (Hungary, Greece, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Spain, Australia, and Germany, in that order) generated 20% or more of their electricity from solar energy in the first six months of 2025. Catalonia is below that figure, at 40%. "Furthermore, the vast majority of that 17% comes from our grandparents, from the hydraulic power that was developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The added percentage is very small, 1% or 2%; therefore, the challenge is greater," says Salat.
"The world has done its homework. Europe has done its homework, the United States has made this commitment from an economic perspective, and China from a technological perspective, but there are two types of territories that have not yet. On the one hand, those that are developing and have difficulty accessing new generation, such as competitiveness, and renewables. Due to the climate emergency, they prefer to remain anchored in a fossil and nuclearized economy, like Catalonia," Salat said.