Technology Apr 21, 2026 · 1 min read

Global growth in solar "the largest ever observed for any source"

The Energy Information Agency says we've entered the Age of Electricity.

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Ars Technica
by John Timmer
Global growth in solar "the largest ever observed for any source"

On Monday, the Energy Information Agency released its analysis of the energy trends of 2025, covering the entire globe. It confirms and extends the primary conclusion of a more limited analysis by the International Renewable Energy Agency: 2025 was the first year of solar's dominance. Increased solar production was a key reason the growth of carbon-free energy sources outpaced rising demand.

Coupled with a massive growth in battery storage and relatively stagnant fossil fuel use, the year has led the EIA to declare that "the world has entered the Age of Electricity."

Electrons for everyone

The EIA report covers energy use, including the electrical grid, transportation, home heating, and other forms of consumption. As such, it can track how some of those uses are shifting, as electric vehicles displace some gasoline use and heat pumps replace gas and oil heating. It also saw a more global trend: the demand for electricity grew at twice the rate of overall energy demand. All of these went into the conclusion that we're starting the Age of Electricity.

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This article was originally published by Ars Technica and written by John Timmer .

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