Renewables Met All New Electricity Demand in 2025, Solar Led Three‑Quarters of Growth

Ember’s Global Electricity Review 2026 analyzed hourly generation data from national grid operators and international agencies to track yearly changes in power sources. The report isolates “new demand” as the difference between total electricity consumption in 2025 and 2024, then attributes that increment to each technology. Fossil‑fuel generation is measured as the sum of coal, gas, and oil‑fired plants.

Renewable sources supplied all new global electricity demand in 2025 while fossil‑fuel generation fell slightly for the first time since 2020. Solar provided 75% of the growth in global electricity demand and renewables’ share of total generation rose to 33.8%, surpassing coal. Energy industry sources and analysts say the Iran war will speed up wind and solar deployment as countries seek to shield themselves from fossil‑fuel supply shocks.

The shift shows that clean technologies can keep pace with rising electricity needs without adding carbon‑intensive capacity. Battery storage costs fell 20% in 2024 and another 45% in 2025, enabling solar to supply power beyond daylight hours and reinforcing the trend. Watch for how policy responses to the Iran conflict influence investment pipelines for wind, solar, and storage over the next 12‑18 months.