Coal power generation emits roughly twice as much carbon dioxide as gas generation. For the first time, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar generated 5,072 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity globally in the first half of 2025, surpassing coal’s 4,896 TWh, according to a report by think tank Ember.

The shift toward renewable energy was mainly driven by China and India. In China, fossil-fuel generation fell by 2% while solar and wind output increased by 43% and 16% respectively. In India, the coal and gas consumption was reduced by 3.1%, and solar and wind generation increased by 31% and 29%, respectively.