Stories about clean energy can seem like they’re sending mixed signals.  

On one hand, renewable power is growing at rates that were unimaginable a decade ago. Over 90% of new electricity capacity worldwide in 2024 came from clean sources, and investments in clean energy now surpass those in fossil fuels.  

Yet fossil fuel use also reached a record high last year. And clean energy is facing headwinds that could check its pace, from lagging grid infrastructure to critical mineral tensions.  

To make better sense of this story, we unpacked the state of clean energy in 10 charts, showing where the world stands today, where we need to go, and what it will take to get there.

One company made headlines last week when it discovered the first major geothermal power source of its kind in the U.S. in decades — using AI. It’s a powerful example of AI’s potential to help solve pressing climate and energy challenges. Yet this promise is laced with risks given the technology’s massive energy and water use.

China topped 11 million electric vehicle sales last year, more than the rest of the world combined. But a different country holds the record for EV market share, with electric cars making up over 90% of all vehicles sold.

Development banks are beginning to acknowledge that healthy economies depend on healthy ecosystems. This means protecting nature should be core to their mission of supporting countries' development. We assessed whether they’re moving in the right direction.