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Renewable Energy Overtakes Coal as World's Top Electricity Source
7 Oct
Summary
- Renewable energy, including nuclear, surpassed coal as top electricity source in 2024
- Solar power met 83% of the increase in global electricity demand
- Developing nations like China and India led the clean energy charge
According to new data from the global energy think tank Ember, renewable energy sources, including nuclear power, jointly overtook coal as the world's leading source of electricity generation in the first half of 2024. This marks a crucial turning point in the global energy landscape.
The growth in solar and wind power was so strong that it met 100% of the extra electricity demand, even helping drive a slight decline in coal and gas use. Solar power was the standout performer, delivering 83% of the increase in global electricity generation. Solar has now been the largest source of new electricity globally for three years in a row.
The clean energy transition was led by developing countries, especially China, which added more solar and wind capacity than the rest of the world combined. This enabled China to reduce its fossil fuel generation by 2%. India also experienced a significant increase in solar and wind, leading to a decline in coal and gas use.
In contrast, developed nations like the US and the EU saw the opposite trend, with electricity demand growing faster than clean energy output, leading to increased reliance on fossil fuels. In the EU, months of weak wind and hydropower performance resulted in a rise in coal and gas generation.
Despite these regional differences, Ember calls this moment a "crucial turning point" in the global energy transition, marking the beginning of a shift where clean power is keeping pace with demand growth.
