Renewable energy has dethroned coal in global electricity production

Renewable energy sources surpassed coal in global electricity production for the first time in the first half of this year. Solar and wind generation played a critical role in this transformation, meeting all of the world's growing electricity demand.

International energy think tank Ember has published its Global Electricity Sector Mid-Year Review.

Accordingly, global electricity demand grew by 2.6 percent year-over-year in the first half of this year. During this period, solar and wind energy production exceeded electricity demand, fully accounting for the increase in demand. This led to a slight decline in electricity production from fossil fuels.

The share of renewable energy sources in production has increased

In the first half of the year, solar energy accounted for 8.8 percent of global electricity production, while wind energy accounted for 9.2 percent and hydroelectricity for 13.9 percent. Other renewable resources accounted for 2.3 percent.

During this period, renewable energy sources accounted for 34.2 percent of the world's electricity production. During the same period, coal accounted for 33.1 percent of electricity production.

Renewable energy dethrones coal for the first time

Electricity production from renewable energy sources surpassed coal for the first time. During this period, 5,072 terawatt-hours of electricity were produced from renewable energy, compared to 4,896 terawatt-hours from coal.

Gas accounted for 20.7 percent of electricity production, while nuclear energy accounted for 9.1 percent. The remainder of production came from other fossil fuels.

Emissions decreased

Coal's share of global electricity generation fell by 0.6 percent year-on-year in the first half of the year, and gas's share fell by 0.2 percent. This decline also led to a 0.2 percent decrease in emissions from the electricity sector.

The world's largest economies, China, the United States, India and the European Union (EU), continued to determine the balance of power in global electricity production.

China maintains its position as the world's clean energy leader

While China and India's fossil fuel production declined in the first half of the year, production from clean energy sources increased. China maintained its position as the world's clean energy leader, and in India, production from renewable energy sources exceeded the increase in electricity demand during this period.

Electricity production from fossil fuels rises in the US and EU

In contrast to these two countries, electricity production from fossil fuels has risen in the US and the EU.

According to Ember, while electricity generation from renewable energy sources globally is growing in direct proportion to demand growth, progress seen by country varies widely.

Ember Senior Electricity Analyst Małgorzata Wiatros-Motyka, noting that the "first signs of a critical turning point" in electricity generation are being seen in her assessment of the analysis, said, "Solar and wind are growing fast enough to meet the world's electricity generation demand. This signals the beginning of a transformation where clean energy is starting to keep pace with the growth in electricity demand."