Renewables — mostly solar — were the largest source of global energy supply growth for the first time outside of a recession last year, a major new data release finds.

Why it matters: That factoid, along with other info from the Energy Institute's annual Statistical Review of World Energy, highlights two things happening at once.

• One is that climate-friendly energy and electrification are on the march.
• The other is that fossil fuels are still expanding as overall demand grows, sending carbon emissions higher again, up 1.1% last year.

Driving the news: All sources of energy grew in 2025 as total supply expanded by 1.7%.

• All renewables, including hydro and biofuels, expanded by 7%, and nearly three-fourths of that growth was from solar.
• Solar grew by 30% and its share of global power generation is now pushing 9%. Renewables together (including hydro) overtook coal as the largest power source.

Yes, but: "Fossil fuels continued to expand in absolute terms and retained their dominant position," the report finds.

• Fossil fuels together accounted for 86% of total energy supply last year, per the report issued by the institute, which is a group of energy professionals, and KPMG, the consulting firm Kearney, and energy think tank Ember.

The intrigue: North America was the only region where CO2 intensity — that is, emissions per unit of energy — increased last year.

Catch up quick: This is the successor report to BP's long-running annual energy review that it published for 70+ years before handing it off in 2023.

• It's among the most comprehensive annual energy datasets out there.

What we're watching: For the first time in the report's history, the researchers have started publishing stats on data centers — a rather small amount of global power demand, but one that's growing fast.

• Data centers accounted for 2.4% of global electricity consumption last year and grew by a fifth worldwide.

The U.S. accounts for 40% of all global data center electricity consumption, and the sector's power demand in the U.S. climbed another 25.5% last year.

• Data centers were responsible for 6.6% of U.S. electricity use last year.
• Total U.S. electricity demand grew 3%, another sign the days of largely flat usage are decidedly over amid the rise of data centers, vehicle electrification, new manufacturing and more.

The bottom line: "We see encouraging substitution of fossil fuels in power, yet global emissions continue to rise and energy security pressures intensify," Nick Wayth, the Energy Institute's chief executive, said in a statement.

• "These findings underline the urgency of accelerating efficiency, electrification and investment in clean technologies worldwide."

China's CO2 emissions are over twice U.S. levels, but the new statistical review shows a change in trajectory last year.

• The report finds that U.S. emissions grew over 3%, as natural gas prices prompted some switching to coal.
• That rise was four times higher than China's 2025 emissions uptick.
• The U.S. accounted for over a third of the 1.1% global increase in energy-related CO2 emissions.

Does the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission suddenly have less running room? That's what some FERC watchers fear after a major Supreme Court ruling yesterday.

Catch up quick: In a 6-3 decision, the majority gave presidents more power to fire Senate-confirmed members of independent commissions like FERC and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

• The president "must have the assistance of officers he can trust," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority in ending the requirement that members can only be ousted "for cause."

What they're saying: Critics fear less independent decision-making on energy.

• The dissent, penned by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, name-checks FERC and the NRC.
• It argues that dozens of commissions "are now likely to become purely executive agencies, shifting tremendous power over broad swaths of American life into the President's hands."
• A bipartisan collection of former FERC members sounded alarms in a 2025 amicus brief. It warned this outcome could "increase the risk of financing pipelines and power lines" and ultimately raise energy prices.

Flashback: In 2018, FERC unanimously rejected then-Energy Secretary Rick Perry's proposal to prop up coal and nuclear plants at risk of closure.

• "[I] strongly doubt that would happen again," Harvard Law professor Jody Freeman tells E&E News.

The other side: Roberts' majority opinion argues that good governance works the other way.

• While the Senate decides whether to confirm people a president wants to work with, "neither Congress nor the courts may saddle him with those with whom he cannot work."

🛑 The World Bank will "retire" its policy that 45% of its financing should have climate "co-benefits," it announced yesterday, even as it extends its overall Climate Change Action Plan.

• State of play: It follows Trump-era pressure from the U.S., the bank's largest shareholder. The target "distorts" decisions and moved the bank from its "core mission," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in April.
• What's next: The bank's internal "Independent Evaluation Group" will perform a new review of the bank's climate program, the announcement states. But it defends the CCAP, saying it has "served its purpose well, embedding smart development in all we do."

↩️ The Interior Department is giving $129 million to utility heavyweight Duke Energy to abandon its North Carolina offshore wind lease, alongside a Duke pledge to reinvest the money in other energy sources.

• Zoom out: It's the fourth such deal in recent months from the administration that strongly opposes offshore wind.
• What's next: Duke said uses of the money "may include advancing new nuclear and natural gas generation, and grid enhancements."

⚠️ President Trump warned last night that "big problems lie ahead!" for gasoline retailers if prices don't fall faster, and that they should target $2.50 per gallon.

• State of play: The White House did not respond to a request late yesterday for comment on what kinds of "problems" he was warning about.
• Catch up quick: The threat comes a week after Trump said he ordered the Justice Department to probe whether oil companies are gouging consumers.
• Yes, but: Probes going back decades have failed to turn up anti-competitive behavior in retail fuel markets outside of isolated local examples.

Global fossil fuel subsidies are on track to hit $1.1 trillion, over $400 million more than 2025, driven by developing nations looking to shield residents from price shocks from the Middle East crisis, a new UN report finds.

Why it matters: These outlays sap money from education, health and other critical long-term development needs, the report warns.

• The $1.1T figure is based on a mix of crude oil grades averaging $88.60 per barrel, the level from January-May. Go deeper