Solar and Wind Are Crushing It: Covering ALL New Power Demand in 2025!

TL;DR: For the first three quarters of 2025, solar and wind power generated enough electricity to cover all new global demand, pushing fossil fuel generation to a standstill for the first time since the pandemic. The green revolution is officially kicking into high gear!

Meta: Solar and wind energy met all new global electricity demand in the first three quarters of 2025, leading to a stagnation in fossil fuel generation.

Alright, alright, gather 'round, because the energy world just dropped a bombshell, and it’s a good one! According to the sharp folks at energy think tank Ember, solar and wind power are not just growing; they’re growing fast enough to cover all new electricity demand worldwide for the first three quarters of 2025! That's right, clean energy is doing the heavy lifting, pushing fossil power to stay flat for the full year – something that hasn't happened since, well, the pandemic. It's like watching a heavyweight champ get knocked off its feet, but in a good way for the planet!

Solar generation jumped a staggering 31%, already outpacing all the solar power produced in 2024. Wind added another healthy 7.6%. Together, they supplied 635 TWh of new clean electricity, easily beating the 603 TWh rise in global demand. That’s not just a little growth; that’s a power surge! This incredible momentum has lifted solar and wind to 17.6% of global electricity, with total renewables now making up a whopping 43%. Fossil fuels? They slid down to 57.1%. Looks like they’re running out of juice!

The Turning Tide: Renewables Outpace Coal

For the first time ever in 2025, renewables collectively generated more electricity than coal. Read that again: more than coal. And overall fossil generation has actually stalled, with a slight slip of 0.1%. China and India, often seen as big fossil fuel consumers, are partly driving this shift, with fossil generation falling as clean energy meets all new demand. It’s a structural change in their power systems, signaling that reliance on dirty fuels to meet growing power needs is no longer a requirement. Who knew the future would be so… clean?

Solar, in particular, is leading the charge, being the single biggest driver of change in the global power sector. Its growth is more than three times larger than any other electricity source! Nicolas Fulghum, a senior data analyst at Ember, put it perfectly: "Record solar power growth and stagnating fossil fuels in 2025 show how clean power has become the driving force in the power sector." He added, "Historically a growth segment, fossil power now appears to be entering a period of stagnation and managed decline." Translation: The old guard is on its way out, and the green team is coming in hot!

A New Era of Energy

Electricity demand rose, but at a slower pace than last year, thanks to milder weather taking some pressure off the grid. This gave clean energy an even better chance to close the gap. And they closed it, folks! For the first time outside of major crises, clean energy growth has not only kept up with demand but surpassed it. This year might just be remembered as the year global fossil generation finally hit a plateau. That's a milestone worth celebrating, don’t you think? It's like watching your favorite underdog win the championship!

The next big question is whether solar, wind, and the rest of the clean power sector can keep this pace consistently. If they can, we’re looking at a completely transformed energy landscape. The future is looking bright, literally and figuratively. And it's powered by the sun and the wind, baby!

What’s Next: The momentum of solar and wind growth will likely continue, putting increasing pressure on fossil fuel generation globally. Policymakers and energy companies will be challenged to further accelerate this transition, focusing on grid modernization and energy storage solutions to accommodate the intermittent nature of renewables. The long-term trend points towards a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

Alright, I'm off to put on my shades. The future’s so bright, I gotta wear 'em! Peace out!