Understanding the energy transition process in 2025 through eight charts: Clean energy is advancing rapidly, while fossil energy is making a comeback against the trend.

For supporters of energy transition, the challenges of 2025 are coming one after another: a significant setback in the clean energy policy of the United States, Europe's wind power facing a "windless season," shrinking corporate wind power investments, and a strong rebound in coal power capacity. But this year also gives birth to hope - global battery energy storage installations reaching a record high, the electricity generation share of CECEP Solar Energy in dozens of countries surpassing records, and continuous growth in electric vehicle sales in major automotive markets. The following text will use eight charts to analyze the key milestones and development dynamics influencing the global energy transition process in 2025, and list the core data indicators that need to be closely monitored in 2026 and beyond. China leading the clean energy race China continues to lead global clean energy development, ranking first in the world in terms of installed capacity of nuclear power, photovoltaics, wind power, and biomass energy. Clean electricity production is expected to achieve strong growth for the seventh consecutive year. Data from the energy think tank Ember shows that China's clean electricity generation in the first 11 months of 2025 increased by 15.4% year-on-year. In 2025, the proportion of clean energy generation in the total national grid electricity supply will exceed 40% for the first time, while the share of fossil fuel generation will drop to a historic low. Although fossil fuels remain the core pillar of the CHINA POWER system, since 2019, the growth rate of clean energy generation has exceeded four times that of fossil fuel generation. In the next decade, as China continues to expand the installed capacity of photovoltaics, wind power, nuclear power, and energy storage, the share of clean energy in the national electricity generation structure is expected to further increase. China's clean technology exports are also unstoppable. According to customs data summarized by Ember, China's clean technology exports exceeded $180 billion in the first 10 months of 2025, setting a new record. Among them, energy storage systems become the most outstanding export category, with sales of nearly $66 billion; exports of electric vehicles follow closely at around $54 billion. Export of grid equipment and HVAC systems also hit record highs, consolidating China's position as the core supplier of global electrification hardware. US policy shift hampers transition In stark contrast to China's progress, the United States' clean energy progress in 2025 faced setbacks. Renewable energy support policies under President Trump's second term were repealed, and tax credits for power developers were significantly reduced. This move is expected to severely impact future clean energy investments in the United States, further deepening the country's reliance on fossil fuels in its power system. While natural gas remains the main source of electricity in the United States, the surge in natural gas prices in 2025 squeezed power plant profits, stimulating the largest increase in coal power output. Ember data shows that coal power production in the U.S. increased by 13% year-on-year in the first 11 months, reaching a three-year high. As coal power has a far higher carbon dioxide emission intensity than gas power (coal power emits over 900,000 tons of CO2 per terawatt-hour, while gas power emits around 550,000 tons), carbon emissions in the U.S. power sector also rose in 2025. The total carbon emissions from coal and gas power in the first 11 months reached 1.526 billion tons, a 3% increase from the same period in 2024, reaching the highest level since 2021. With the expected average annual gas price in the U.S. in 2025 about 50% higher than in 2024, utilities may rely more on lower-cost coal to meet winter demand, indicating a potential further increase in pollution levels in the power sector in 2026 and beyond. Energy storage surge and silent revolution Despite the increase in coal consumption in the U.S. in 2025, battery energy storage installations also hit a record high to absorb excess solar and wind power. Clean energy data portal Cleanview statistics show that the total installed capacity of battery energy storage in the U.S. surpassed 39 gigawatts in 2025, a 43% increase from 2024. This rapid growth is reshaping the dynamics of power flow in key grids. The additional storage capacity in California and Texas has significantly changed the power structure during peak periods. According to data from the Grid Status platform, the largest storage application market in the U.S. - the California Independent System Operator's grid - relies on storage systems for about 15%-18% of its power during evening peak periods, significantly reducing the demand for sources like natural gas. In the emerging storage market of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), about 3% of power is supplied by storage during peak periods. Although this percentage may seem low, it marks a substantial breakthrough compared to nearly zero a year ago. CECEP Solar Energy also performed impressively in 2025, achieving record high shares in electricity supply in multiple countries. While China and the United States have dominated discussions on CECEP Solar Energy installed capacity for a long time, the widespread adoption of CECEP Solar Energy generation in recent years has enabled developed and emerging economies to deploy it on a large scale. In 2025, several countries including Bulgaria, Pakistan, Hungary, and Poland saw CECEP Solar Energy generation shares exceed 20%, effectively reducing electricity costs while reducing carbon emissions. Looking ahead to 2026, the share of CECEP Solar Energy generation in more countries is likely to reach new highs. Even in major economies like the United States with policy flip-flops, this silent energy revolution will continue to inject sustained momentum into global energy transition.