The world is installing wind turbines and solar panels faster than ever, but coal still generates more electricity than any other source, and by a huge margin.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects coal-fired power plants to generate 10,974 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2026, nearly one-third of the 33,313 TWh of electricity produced worldwide. Natural gas is a distant second at 6,976 TWh, followed by hydropower at 4,536 TWh, solar at 3,289 TWh, wind at 2,898 TWh and nuclear at 2,871 TWh.
In other words, coal will generate nearly as much electricity this year as natural gas and hydropower combined. It will produce 77% more power than wind and solar combined.
That creates an awkward moment for the global energy transition.
The IEA expects renewables collectively to overtake coal in 2026 for the first time. But that requires adding hydropower, solar, wind, bioenergy, geothermal and other renewables together. No individual source is close to coal.
And this year, coal is getting another unexpected boost from the global gas market.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member