According to the latest Statistical Review of World Energy, solar power generation exceeded wind generation in 2025, representing a historic milestone in the global renewable energy transition. Solar generated 2,811 terawatt-hours, or 8.7% of worldwide electricity, compared to wind’s 2,714 terawatt-hours at 8.4%. This marks the first time solar has surpassed wind as a primary electricity source on a global scale.
The growth trajectories of these technologies have diverged dramatically over the past decade. In 2015, wind generation was more than three times larger than solar, producing 832 terawatt-hours compared to solar’s 257 terawatt-hours. By 2025, wind had more than tripled to 2,714 terawatt-hours, but solar output increased nearly elevenfold. Solar’s expansion has been particularly pronounced in recent years, growing from 1,061 terawatt-hours in 2022 to over 2,600 terawatt-hours three years later. In 2025 alone, solar generation jumped 30.1% while wind increased 8.2%, with solar accounting for nearly three-quarters of renewable electricity growth during the year.
China leads global solar production, generating approximately 1,173 terawatt-hours in 2025—nearly 42% of the worldwide total—with output increasing another 40% that year. The United States ranked second at 393 terawatt-hours with 28% growth, followed by India, Japan, and Germany. China also dominates wind generation at 1,128 terawatt-hours, though geographic patterns differ, with some mature European markets experiencing declining wind output.
Hydroelectric power remains the largest single renewable source at 4,479 terawatt-hours, but growth has stalled at just 0.4% annually. Combined, solar and wind produced approximately 5,525 terawatt-hours in 2025, representing 17.2% of all global electricity. Renewables overall supplied 33.4% of worldwide electricity generation, up from earlier levels.
Despite rapid renewable expansion, global fossil fuel consumption continues rising. Renewables supplied only about 40% of the increase in total global energy demand in 2025, with overall energy consumption growing faster than renewable supply. This indicates that renewable energy is being layered atop existing energy systems rather than displacing fossil fuels on a sustained basis.
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