Natural gas is losing its share in the global energy mix as countries increasingly turn to cheaper and more secure renewable energy sources, according to a new report from the climate and energy think tank Ember, UNN reports with reference to Electrek.
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Ember's analysis showed that 61 out of 124 economies that generate electricity from gas have already passed their peak gas power generation. This includes four G7 countries: the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Japan.
The share of gas in the global energy mix has been falling for the fifth consecutive year, dropping from 23.9% in 2020 to 21.8% in 2025. Overall gas production has still grown slightly, but growth has slowed sharply as solar and wind power meet most of the world's growing demand for electricity.
In 2025, solar power generation grew by 636 terawatt-hours (TWh) – 17 times more than gas generation, which increased by only 38 TWh. Solar energy alone provided approximately 75% of the new global growth in electricity demand last year, while gas accounted for only about 5%.
Ember noted that the growth in gas demand between 2021 and 2025 was about half of what it was in 2016-2020, demonstrating how quickly renewable energy sources are outpacing the growth in demand for new electricity.
"The economic and energy security arguments for electricity are increasingly moving in the same direction," said Małgorzata Wiatros-Motyka, senior electricity analyst at Ember. "As renewable energy sources lower costs while simultaneously reducing the impact of fuel price shocks and geopolitical upheavals, gas is steadily losing the advantages that once made it the default fuel for power system growth."
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