For the first time, solar and wind power have produced more electricity than coal across the world. A new report by energy think tank Ember shows that global solar power grew by 31% in the first half of this year, while wind power increased by 7.7%. Together, they generated over 400 terawatt hours of electricity, more than the total increase in global electricity demand during the same period.
“This is a turning point,” said Malgorzata Wiatros-Motyka, a senior electricity analyst at Ember. “It proves that we can meet the world’s growing energy needs without using more fossil fuels.”
The study also found that electricity generation from coal, oil, and gas dropped slightly by less than 1%. Even though the fall is small, experts say it’s a big sign that global emissions may have started to level off.
Ember collected electricity data from 88 countries, which together make up most of the world’s energy use. Electricity demand is rising everywhere because of population growth, economic development, more electric vehicles, and increasing use of air conditioners and data centers.
In China, solar and wind projects grew faster than anywhere else. The country increased its capacity more than the rest of the world combined and cut its fossil fuel power generation by 2%.
India also saw strong growth in solar and wind power, which outpaced its rise in demand. This led to a decrease in fossil fuel use and emissions.
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