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Low-emissions energy sources met all new global electricity demand for the first time in 2025, according to a report released Tuesday by London-based energy think tank Ember. The finding, reported by Al Jazeera and the South China Morning Post, suggests that clean power is now scaling fast enough to absorb rising demand, leaving little room for fossil fuel growth.

Coverage Comparison

Both Al Jazeera and the South China Morning Post covered the release of Ember’s annual global electricity review, though with slightly different emphases. Al Jazeera’s report highlighted the role of solar power in meeting the bulk of new demand, while the South China Morning Post framed the development as a positive step for energy security, citing concerns raised by the US-Israel conflict with Iran.

The two outlets agree on the central data: global clean power generation rose by 887 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2025, while overall electricity demand increased by 849 TWh. They also both note that renewables accounted for 34 percent of total generation, overtaking coal’s 33 percent share for the first time in a century.

Key Claims

According to Ember’s report, solar power alone met three-quarters of the 849 TWh in new electricity demand, with wind power covering almost all the rest. All low-emissions sources, including biofuels, hydro-electricity, and nuclear power, provided a record 42.6 percent of the 31,779 TWh consumed globally in 2025.

The report also states that global coal generation fell for the first time since 2020, dropping below one-third of total generation for the first time. Al Jazeera’s coverage quotes Ember’s interim managing director, Aditya Lolla, as saying, “We have firmly entered the era of clean growth. Clean energy is now scaling fast enough to absorb rising global electricity demand, keeping fossil generation flat before its inevitable decline.”

The South China Morning Post added that China and India, historically the largest contributors to fossil fuel use growth, saw record clean power additions in 2025 that outpaced their demand growth, leading to domestic declines in fossil fuel generation.

The International Energy Agency separately found that oil and gas demand slowed in 2025 compared with 2024, a trend that aligns with Ember’s findings, as noted by Al Jazeera.

Perspectives

While the report’s authors describe 2025 as a turning point, not all experts are convinced the trend is permanent. Rahmat Poudineh, head of electricity research at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, told Al Jazeera that a single year of clean energy meeting demand growth does not establish a lasting pattern. “The system is designed to meet peak demand, not average demand,” he said, noting that the trend must prove itself in extreme conditions like cold winters and hot summers.

Ember itself projects that fossil fuels’ share of the electricity market will drop by 10 to 20 percent by 2035, losing dominance to clean energy. However, this forecast is based on current trends and could be affected by policy changes or economic shocks.

Al Jazeera noted that 2025 was not a year of extreme demand growth, with electricity demand rising 2.8 percent, in line with the average. This context suggests that the clean energy sector met a moderate increase, leaving open questions about performance during more demanding periods.

The South China Morning Post’s focus on energy security reflects broader geopolitical concerns, particularly the impact of the US-Israel conflict with Iran on global oil and gas markets. In this view, clean power is seen as a strategic alternative for nations seeking to reduce their dependence on imported fuels.

As the world continues to grapple with climate change and energy security, Ember’s report offers a data-driven snapshot of a shifting electricity landscape. Whether 2025 marks a true inflection point or an anomaly will depend on the coming years’ ability to sustain and build on this progress.