In recent months, multiple international organizations and industry think tanks have released reports showing that global clean energy development is gaining strong momentum and that the energy transition has become unstoppable. Notably, in this worldwide wave of energy transformation, China plays a leading role in both scale and technological innovation.

Renewable Energy Generation Surpasses Fossil Fuels For The First Time

On October 7 local time, Ember, a UK-based global climate and energy think tank, released its latest report, Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2025. The report shows that in the first half of 2025, global renewable energy generation surpassed fossil fuels for the first time. Compared with the same period in 2024, global solar power generation increased by 31% in the first half of this year—marking the third consecutive year that solar energy has been the largest source of new power worldwide—while wind power generation rose by 7.7%.

The International Energy Agency (IEA), in its Renewable Energy 2025 report released the same day, predicted that despite challenges such as supply chain and financing pressures, grid integration issues, and policy uncertainty, global renewable capacity will continue to expand strongly. It forecasts that in the next five years, the world’s newly installed renewable capacity will double that of the previous five-year period. By 2030, global renewable energy capacity is expected to increase by 4,600 GW—equivalent to the combined power generation of China, the EU, and Japan.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres posted on social media: “The future of clean energy is no longer a distant promise—it has arrived.” He urged the international community to “seize this historic opportunity to accelerate the world’s move toward a better future.”

According to the IEA’s World Energy Investment Report, even under heightened geopolitical tensions and growing economic uncertainty, global energy investment in 2025 is projected to hit a record high of USD 3.3 trillion, a 2% increase from 2024.

The report also shows that the share of renewables in global energy generation rose from 13.5% in 2010 to 28.3% in 2024. Over the past decade, installed solar and wind capacity grew twelvefold and fivefold, respectively—proof that the transition’s direction is irreversible. The IEA projects that despite various obstacles, renewable energy will account for more than 40% of global power generation by 2030 and may exceed 55% by 2040.

China Leads The Way In Clean Energy Development

Significantly, many of these global reports highlight China’s leading role in the ongoing energy transition.

According to Global Electricity Mid-Year Insights 2025, China is the clear frontrunner in clean energy growth. In the first half of 2025, China’s increase in renewable energy generation exceeded that of all other countries combined. Solar power in China accounted for 55% of the global increase in solar generation, surging 43% year-on-year—well above the global average of 31%. In wind power, China’s generation rose 16%, more than double the global average, contributing 40% of China’s power growth and 82% of the global increase in wind energy.

The report noted that 58% of global solar generation now comes from low- and middle-income countries, with many experiencing explosive solar growth largely due to China’s technological advances, which have significantly driven down costs worldwide.

Managers and strategists from Ember recently wrote in China Daily that four-fifths of the world’s solar modules and batteries, and more than two-thirds of its electric vehicles, were produced in China in 2024. China has also become a global hub for energy transition research: its share of global clean energy patent applications rose from around 5% in 2000 to over 75%, and Chinese companies’ R&D spending in the energy sector is now roughly equal to that of the EU and the U.S. combined.

The World Energy Investment Report further notes that a decade ago, China’s investment in clean energy slightly exceeded that of the U.S.; today, China’s share of global clean energy investment has risen from one-fourth to one-third. In 2024, China invested over USD 625 billion in clean energy—almost double the amount a decade earlier—roughly equal to the combined investment of the EU and the U.S., making China the world’s largest clean energy investor. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol commented that China’s provision of technology and support to other countries has greatly enhanced access to clean energy and lowered the global cost of adopting green technologies.

Challenges Ahead For Global Energy Transition

Despite the impressive progress, significant challenges remain. The IEA identifies underinvestment as the main constraint to global energy transition. According to its estimates, developing economies must invest an additional USD 500 billion annually to stay on track. While total global clean energy investment reached USD 2 trillion in 2024, this still falls short of the level required to meet the Paris Agreement goals. Moreover, only 15% of that investment went to developing economies excluding China, showing a substantial gap between actual and expected transition speed.

The IEA also warned that the rise of trade barriers and growing uncertainty in tariff policies since 2025 could further affect global energy investment trends.

After taking office in January this year, U.S. President Donald Trump drastically overhauled national energy policy, explicitly declaring his intent to “shut down” domestic clean energy projects.

In early July, Trump signed the “Big and Beautiful” Tax and Spending Act, which eliminated dozens of green energy incentives, sharply reduced tax credits for clean energy, and tilted policy support heavily toward traditional fuels. The Solar Energy Industries Association warned that the act jeopardizes USD 450 billion in infrastructure investment and could result in the loss of roughly 300 GW worth of future wind and solar projects over the next decade. Trump also stated on social media that his administration “will never approve another wind or solar project.”

The IEA’s Renewable Energy 2025 report notes that due to Trump’s rollback of clean energy policies, the U.S. renewable growth forecast for 2030 has been revised downward by nearly 50%.

According to recent data from Bloomberg, China remains the world’s top investor in energy transition, with total investment reaching USD 818 billion in 2024—a 20% increase from 2023—exceeding the combined total of the U.S., the U.K., and the EU. By contrast, U.S. investment stagnated at USD 338 billion, while investment in the EU and the U.K. declined to USD 381 billion and USD 65.3 billion, respectively.

Editor: Zhiyu Wang