For years, humanity has pursued an ambitious goal: generating enough clean energy to meet the constant growth in global consumption. Well, according to the latest data published by Ember, an independent organization that analyzes electricity production and consumption worldwide, that historic moment is happening right now.
You can view Ember's website at: https://ember-energy.org/
For the first time, the increase in solar and wind generation has outpaced the growth in global energy demand. This encouraging news marks a turning point in the transition toward a sustainable energy model.
The Ember report reveals that in the last twelve months, generation from solar and wind has grown at a faster rate than the increase in global electricity demand. In other words, the planet is adding more renewable capacity than it needs to cover its energy growth.
This milestone has an optimistic interpretation: the deployment of clean energy no longer only offsets the increase in consumption, but is beginning to displace the most polluting sources, especially coal and natural gas.
Europe, the United States, China, and India are the big players in this game. These four giants account for two-thirds of global energy generation and emissions. Therefore, any progress or setback in their energy policies has a decisive impact on the rest of the planet.
China is becoming the great driver of the green transition. In the first half of the year, the Asian giant installed more solar and wind capacity than the rest of the world combined.
Furthermore, it reduced its coal-fired generation by 2%, a modest but symbolic change: for the first time, the country with the highest energy consumption is beginning to shift toward a cleaner model.
In Europe, the momentum continues. Many countries, such as Spain, Germany, and Denmark, are achieving record renewable energy production, driven by EU policies and steadily falling technology costs.
India continues an upward trajectory, with growing investments in solar and wind farms that are beginning to transform its electricity mix.
In the United States, however, the trend has slowed. Policies promoted by President Trump, along with his climate denialism recently reaffirmed at the UN, have returned the spotlight to coal and gas. This has caused increased energy demand to far outstrip sustainable generation, delaying the transition and generating a worrying environmental impact.
Despite regional contrasts, the global outlook is improving. The costs of solar and wind energy continue to fall, making them the most competitive sources in most markets. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), producing electricity with solar panels today costs 80% less than a decade ago, and with wind, 60% less.
Furthermore, record new renewable energy capacities are being installed every year. If the trend continues, clean energy could surpass fossil energy before 2030, a milestone unthinkable just a decade ago.
Although the figures invite a certain optimism, time is ticking. CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere are reaching new highs, and extreme weather events—heat waves, fires, droughts, floods—are multiplying year after year.
We are, literally, in a race against time. It's not enough to curb emissions: we need to drastically reduce them. The good news is that technology and social will are aligned like never before. Governments, businesses, and citizens are beginning to understand that the future will be renewable or it won't exist at all.
Leaving future generations a habitable planet for all is the greatest collective challenge of our time. And although the task is enormous, recent steps demonstrate that change is possible.
Solar and wind energy are no longer alternatives: they are the backbone of the new energy economy. Every panel installed and every turbine brought online is a victory against climate change and an investment in the future.
The road may be long, but the direction is clear. The sun and the wind, inexhaustible and silent, are writing the energy history of the 21st century.
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