According to the energy think tank Ember, renewable energy produced 5,072 terawatt-hours of electricity in the first half of 2025, while coal supplied 4,896 terawatt-hours – Science magazine announced on Thursday. This means renewables covered the entire increase in global electricity demand during that period. At the same time, Science magazine criticized the Trump administration’s policies, which it says failed to capitalize on American innovations in renewable energy solar and wind energy developed rapidly[2].
China remains the main driver of this transformation, currently producing 80% of the world’s solar cells, 70% of wind turbines, and 70% of lithium batteries. Thanks to competitive prices, Chinese technologies have come to dominate the global market. In 2024, China exported renewable energy technologies worth nearly 180 billion dollars.
During his September speech at the UN forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10% over the next decade. At the same time, China will double its efforts to develop wind and solar energy. In the first half of 2025, China accounted for 55% of the global increase in installed photovoltaic capacity During this period, the country installed more new renewable capacity than all other nations combined[6].
Science magazine emphasized that many key renewable technologies were developed decades ago in the United States, but China was able to scale them industrially. Meanwhile, the United States pursued policies favoring fossil fuels – the Trump administration froze federal permits for wind projects and withdrew from the agreement.
Despite political obstacles, renewable energy has reached a point where its growth is driven primarily by lower costs and greater energy security rather than climate concerns alone. Science warns, however, that the 2025 milestones should be seen as a starting point, not a final goal, if the world aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change Despite these political challenges, Science noted that renewable energy has passed a key[12].