The defining change in global energy markets in 2025 was that solar PV, for the first time on record, became the single largest contributor to energy demand growth. Global energy demand grew by 1.3% over the year, with solar PV accounting for 27% of that increase, ahead of natural gas, oil, and coal. These reordering signals that low-emissions energy sources are no longer merely supplementing supply, they are beginning to absorb a dominant share of incremental global energy demand.
Breaking down by source, natural gas contributed 17% of global energy demand growth in 2025, followed by oil at 15%, solid bioenergy and waste at 13%, wind and coal each at 9%, nuclear at 5%, other renewables at 3%, and liquid biofuels at 2%.
Demand for all three fossil fuels continued to grow, yet low-emissions sources combined accounted for nearly 60% of total energy demand growth. This means that beyond the frontrunner solar PV, wind, nuclear, other renewables, solid bioene
rgy, and liquid biofuels collectively pushed low-emissions energy into a leading position in the demand growth mix.
