For the first time in history, renewable energy sources like wind and solar have generated more electricity than coal across the whole world. This milestone was reached in the first half of 2025, according to a global energy report.
When all the electricity generated by renewables was added together, it exceeded the total power produced by coal plants. This marks a significant moment in the shift towards cleaner, more sustainable energy.
Why did renewables overtake coal?
Several factors helped renewables overtake coal.
Firstly, there has been rapid growth in solar and wind power. Solar power increased by over 30% compared with the previous year, while wind power grew by almost 8%. Together, they met almost all the world’s new electricity demand.
Secondly, coal generation fell slightly, as older coal plants closed or were used less often. This meant that even though coal still provides a lot of electricity, its share of global power fell.
Thirdly, many countries have been investing heavily in renewables, especially in China and India, where large solar and wind projects have expanded quickly. This helped push renewable electricity past coal for the first time.
Experts describe this as a “turning point” in global energy history.
A Mixed Global Picture
While renewable energy overtook coal globally for the first half of 2025, the picture is not uniform everywhere. In some regions, coal still plays a key role or has even increased.
In Asia, countries such as China and India drove much of the growth in renewables. China built more new wind and solar capacity than the entire rest of the world combined, helping it reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. India’s increase in renewables was also greater than its increase in electricity demand, leading to declines in the use of coal and gas.
But in Europe and the United States, coal and gas generation still rose in that same period. In Europe, weather conditions reduced wind and hydropower output, which meant solar alone couldn’t meet the extra demand — so coal and gas production increased by 1.1% and 14%, respectively. In the U.S., electricity demand grew faster than renewables could keep up, leading to a 17% increase in coal use.
This mixed picture shows that while the shift toward renewables is happening, it is uneven. Some countries are already making big progress, while others are more dependent on coal or facing challenges such as weather limits, infrastructure or investment constraints.
What Does This Mean for the UK?
Although the milestone is global, the UK has seen similar progress.
In 2024, more than half of Britain’s electricity came from low-carbon sources such as renewables, nuclear and biomass. Coal use has almost disappeared, and the UK’s last coal-fired power station closed earlier this year — ending more than a century of coal power generation.
Now, the country relies mainly on wind, solar, gas and nuclear to keep the lights on. Britain’s windy coastline and growing number of offshore wind farms have helped make this possible.
Why does this matter in geography?
This is an important story for geography because it shows how energy systems are changing and how countries are trying to reduce their carbon emissions.
- It demonstrates how places are switching from fossil fuels to cleaner sources like wind and solar.
- The change links directly to the climate change topic — cutting coal use reduces greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.
- It highlights regional differences, as not all countries can change at the same pace.
- The challenges ahead include storing renewable energy and producing enough power when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine.
The fact that renewables have overtaken coal for the first time is a positive sign for the planet — but it’s also a reminder that there’s still a long way to go to create a fully sustainable global energy system.
