Renewable energy just broke a 100-year-old streak
Renewable energy sources generated 33.8 percent of global electricity in 2025, surpassing coal for the first time since 1919, according to Ember's Global Electricity Review 2026. Solar power has grown rapidly, producing 10 times more electricity than in 2015 and meeting 75 percent of global electricity demand growth. Declining costs for solar and batteries, along with improved storage, are accelerating the shift away from fossil fuels.
- ▪Renewables produced 33.8 percent of global electricity in 2025, exceeding coal's 33 percent share.
- ▪Solar power generation reached 2,778 terawatt-hours in 2025, roughly equal to the European Union's annual electricity consumption.
- ▪Solar module prices dropped from over $100 per watt in the 1970s to about 10 cents per watt by late 2025.
- ▪Battery costs fell 45 percent in 2025, enabling solar-plus-storage to outcompete new natural gas plants.
- ▪Wind and solar together met 99 percent of the growth in global electricity demand in 2025.
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The HighlightRenewable energy just broke a 100-year-old streakCoal’s century at the top of the world’s power mix is over.by Bryan WalshApr 28, 2026, 10:00 AM UTCShareGiftThe rest of the world is building solar farms and battery plants as fast as the supply chains allow. The United States is trying to run against a market it no longer controls. Ritesh Shukla/Getty ImagesBryan Walsh is a senior editorial director at Vox overseeing the climate teams and the Unexplainable and The Gray Area podcasts. He is also the editor of Vox’s Future Perfect section and writes the Good News newsletter.
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