Low-Carbon Sources Met All of 2025’s Electricity Demand Growth - OWID

Why It Matters

The data shows renewable energy can now meet new electricity demand, reducing reliance on coal and oil and accelerating the global energy transition. It underscores the urgency for broader sectors to follow suit to achieve absolute emissions reductions.

Key Takeaways

• Global electricity grew 850 TWh in 2025.
• Solar and wind supplied nearly all new capacity.
• Coal and oil generation fell despite higher gas use.
• Low‑carbon growth outpaced demand for first time.
• Fossil fuel share remains high; broader sectors must decarbonize.

Pulse Analysis

The 2025 electricity landscape marks a watershed moment for renewable energy. After years of demand outstripping clean‑energy additions, solar and wind together supplied nearly the entire 850 TWh of new generation, according to Ember’s Global Electricity Review. This surge reflects falling technology costs, expanded grid integration, and aggressive policy incentives across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. As a result, the share of low‑carbon power rose sharply, nudging the overall generation mix toward a greener profile.

Despite the renewable boom, natural‑gas output ticked upward, cushioning the overall fossil‑fuel share. However, the decline in coal and oil generation more than compensated for the gas increase, delivering a net reduction in carbon‑intensive fuels for the first time in recent history. Analysts attribute the coal drop to aging plants reaching retirement, stricter emissions standards, and the competitive pricing of wind and solar in wholesale markets. Oil‑fired power, already marginal, continued its downward trend, reinforcing the narrative that renewables are now the primary engine of capacity growth.

The broader implication is clear: meeting rising electricity demand no longer requires expanding fossil‑fuel capacity. Yet, to achieve absolute emissions cuts, the transition must extend beyond power generation into industry, transport, and heating. Policymakers are urged to pair renewable expansion with energy‑efficiency measures and decarbonization pathways for heavy industry. As the momentum builds, investors and corporations alike will likely accelerate commitments to net‑zero, recognizing that the clean‑energy surge of 2025 is a harbinger of a more sustainable energy future.