Solar and wind now outgenerate coal across the Western G7
Original title: Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal · Our World in Data · 30 Jun 2026

Chart: Our World in Data, CC BY 4.0
So what
In 1990 coal dwarfed solar and wind everywhere; by 2025 the positions had flipped in all six countries shown, including the US (853 vs 737 TWh). Britain has all but eliminated coal power, and Germany's renewables now generate twice its coal output. For utilities and coal miners, Western thermal coal is a run-off business; the growth market for coal is Asia, which this chart does not show.
| Label | Value | Unit | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States solar and wind generation | 3.1875627 | TWh | 1990 |
| United States coal generation | 1725.1552 | TWh | 1990 |
| United States solar and wind generation | 853.21 | TWh | 2025 |
| United States coal generation | 737.15 | TWh | 2025 |
| Germany solar and wind generation | 0.07 | TWh | 1990 |
| Germany coal generation | 310.04 | TWh | 1990 |
| Germany solar and wind generation | 225.65 | TWh | 2025 |
| Germany coal generation | 103.15 | TWh | 2025 |
| United Kingdom solar and wind generation | 0.01 | TWh | 1990 |
| United Kingdom coal generation | 206.44 | TWh | 1990 |
| United Kingdom solar and wind generation | 105.159996 | TWh | 2025 |
| United Kingdom coal generation | 0.33 | TWh | 2025 |
| France solar and wind generation | 0 | TWh | 1990 |
| France coal generation | 31.47 | TWh | 1990 |
| France solar and wind generation | 78.31 | TWh | 2025 |
| France coal generation | 1.74 | TWh | 2025 |
| Italy solar and wind generation | 0 | TWh | 1990 |
| Italy coal generation | 32.05 | TWh | 1990 |
| Italy solar and wind generation | 66.11 | TWh | 2025 |
| Italy coal generation | 3.73 | TWh | 2025 |
| Canada solar and wind generation | 0.001919192 | TWh | 1990 |
| Canada coal generation | 82.22 | TWh | 1990 |
| Canada solar and wind generation | 61.65 | TWh | 2025 |
| Canada coal generation | 26.68 | TWh | 2025 |


