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🌱 Clean Power Hits 40%, But Emissions Still Rise – What’s Going On? 🌞🤔

Clean energy now powers over 40% of global electricity, yet emissions hit a record high. Discover why clean progress isn’t cutting carbon just yet.

Author

Green Glow
April 09, 2025

In a year that should’ve felt like a major climate win, a sobering twist emerged: Over 40% of the world’s electricity was generated from clean sources in 2024, yet global carbon emissions hit an all-time high. That’s the headline from a new report by Ember, a global energy think tank, and it raises a big question:
If clean energy is booming, why are we still polluting more than ever?

Let’s break it down.

Table of Contents

The Bright Side: Clean Energy Is Gaining Ground

The good news first: clean electricity generation is growing, fast. For the first time since the 1940s, over 40.9% of the world’s electricity came from non-fossil fuel sources. That includes:

  • Hydropower – 14%

  • Wind – just over 8%

  • Nuclear – 9%

  • Solar – nearly 7% and rising quickly

In fact, solar power is the fastest-growing energy source globally. Since 2012, its output has doubled every three years. Much of that growth has been powered by China, which accounted for over half of all new solar capacity in 2024. India is catching up too, doubling its solar generation in just one year.

Sounds promising, right? So where’s the disconnect?

The Climate Paradox: Clean Power Up, Emissions Up

Despite all that growth, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions rose to 14.6 billion tonnes in 2024 — a new record. According to Ember, this wasn’t because clean energy failed. It’s because demand for electricity is rising even faster.

Why?

  1. Hotter Weather = More Power Use
    2024 was one of the hottest years on record. With it came a surge in air conditioning use, especially in cities across Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Europe. More heat = more cooling = more electricity demand.

  2. Global Economic Growth
    Emerging economies like India, Indonesia, and China are expanding rapidly. As incomes rise, so does electricity use — in homes, industries, and transport. Much of this new demand is still being met with coal and gas, not renewables.

  3. Fossil Fuels Are Still Holding Strong
    Even though renewables are growing, they haven’t fully replaced fossil fuels. Coal and gas still make up more than half of global electricity generation:

    • Coal: 34%

    • Gas: 22%

  4. In 2024 alone, fossil fuel-based electricity rose by 1.4%, just to keep up with rising demand.

Supply vs. Demand: The Core Issue

Here’s the crux of the issue:

Clean energy is growing — just not fast enough.

Yes, the share of clean energy increased. But so did total electricity use. Imagine a pie that’s getting bigger. Even if the clean slice is growing, the dirty slice might still grow too — unless clean energy completely displaces fossil fuels.

Regional Snapshots: Who’s Driving What?

  • China: Leading both the clean and dirty race. Massive solar expansion, but still the world’s biggest consumer of coal.

  • India: Fastest-growing solar market, but heavily reliant on coal for its energy-hungry economy.

  • Europe: Increasing wind and solar, but struggling with declining nuclear and inconsistent hydropower due to drought.

  • United States: Clean energy is rising, but political uncertainty and aging grid infrastructure are slowing progress.

What Needs to Happen Now?

If the world wants to actually reduce emissions — not just produce more clean power — we need to:

  1. Accelerate renewable deployment even more, especially in fast-growing economies.

  2. Phase out coal and gas aggressively, with stronger government policies and international cooperation.

  3. Modernize power grids to handle more variable renewables like wind and solar.

  4. Invest in energy efficiency to reduce how much electricity we actually need.

Conclusion

The world is clearly moving in the right direction — but not fast enough to beat the climate clock. The 2025 Ember report reminds us that progress isn’t the same as impact. Celebrating clean energy gains is important, but real success will be measured not just in megawatts of solar or wind — but in how fast we can drive emissions down.

Until then, the paradox remains: a cleaner world, still getting dirtier.

FAQs

How can emissions rise if clean energy is also rising?

Emissions are rising because global electricity demand is increasing even faster than clean energy production. Fossil fuels are still used to meet the excess demand.

What are the main sources of clean energy today?

The major clean energy sources are hydropower (14%), wind (8%), nuclear (9%), and solar (7%), according to the 2025 Ember report.

Which countries are leading the clean energy transition?

China is the biggest contributor to solar growth, followed by India. Both countries, however, also rely heavily on fossil fuels to meet growing demand.

Why is solar energy considered the fastest-growing source?

Solar is cost-effective, scalable, and easy to install. It has doubled in generation output every three years since 2012, making it the fastest-growing electricity source.

What role does climate change itself play in rising emissions?

Hotter weather increases the use of air conditioning, especially in urban areas, which boosts electricity demand — often still met by fossil fuel generation.

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