Clean electricity met over 40% of global power demand in 2024 for the first time since the 1940s, according to a new report from energy think tank Ember.
The milestone was largely driven by solar power, which has doubled in capacity over the past three years and has been the world’s fastest-growing electricity source for 20 consecutive years.
“Solar power has become the engine of the global energy transition,” said Phil MacDonald, Ember’s managing director. “Paired with battery storage, solar is set to be an unstoppable force.
As the fastest-growing and largest source of new electricity, it is critical in meeting the world’s ever-increasing demand for electricity.”
Last year, solar energy generated 7% of the world’s electricity, behind wind energy at 8%, nuclear energy at 9%, and hydropower at 14%. Hydro, the oldest and largest source of renewable power, has remained relatively steady for decades.
More than half of new solar electricity in 2024 came from China, while India also made major strides.
“The future of the global power system is being shaped in Asia, with China and India at the heart of the energy transition,” said Professor Xunpeng Shi, president of the International Society for Energy Transition Studies.
Despite clean energy’s growth, fossil fuel generation rose 1.4% last year due to surging electricity demand, particularly from heatwaves, air conditioning, and increased use of electric vehicles, AI, and heat pumps. Global power sector emissions reached an all-time high, rising by 1.6%.
MacDonald remains optimistic: “The world is watching how technologies like AI and EVs will drive electricity demand.
“It’s clear that booming solar and wind are comfortably set to deliver, and those expecting fossil fuel generation to keep rising will be disappointed.”
Ember’s report can be found here
