nThe global energy landscape is quietly being reshaped. In the first half of 2025, wind and solar power generation surpassed coal for the first time, marking a watershed moment in the history of human energy. According to the latest report from the energy research organization Ember, global electricity demand is growing by about 2.6% annually, while the total contribution from wind and solar meets 109% of this new demand. In other words, all growth in global electricity is now coming from renewable energy. This is the result of years of policy promotion, technological maturity, and cost reduction, revealing a critical turning point: energy growth is no longer at the expense of carbon emissions.n
nHowever, at this historic moment, former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized China at the United Nations General Assembly for having “almost no wind farms” while “selling wind turbines worldwide.” Although his remarks drew applause, they were completely detached from reality. China is not only the world’s largest wind energy market, with wind power installations accounting for about 40% of the global total, but also a leader in solar manufacturing, controlling more than 80% of production capacity. Trump’s criticism reflects the simplification and misguidance of political rhetoric, obscuring the real issue: the world is indeed overly reliant on Chinese supply. With China’s monopolistic advantage in photovoltaics, batteries, and wind turbine components, geopolitical risks and industrial security have become concerns for the global green energy transition.n
nOver the past decade, China has driven a cost revolution in renewable energy. Due to large-scale production and supply chain integration, the prices of wind turbines and solar panels have fallen globally by 60% to 80%, making renewable energy economically competitive with coal for the first time. However, the side effects of centralized production are becoming increasingly apparent. If Sino-Western relations deteriorate, exports are restricted, or transportation is disrupted, global projects will face delays and price increases. The International Energy Agency warns that to maintain the net-zero path by 2030, global photovoltaic capacity must still double, and supply chain concentration could slow progress. Thus, de-risking has become a new consensus among countries—not decoupling from China, but establishing more production bases in Europe, India, Southeast Asia, and the Americas to make manufacturing more dispersed and resilient.n
nThe rise of renewable energy also exposes bottlenecks within power systems. The output of wind and solar is limited by weather and time of day, and if grid and storage infrastructure do not keep pace, a paradox of “having power but unable to deliver it” will arise. The growth of wind and solar in China and India is sufficient to offset demand expansion, but in Europe and the U.S., due to insufficient hydropower and aging grids, there is still a short-term reliance on fossil fuels. The real challenge is not whether more wind turbines and panels can be built, but whether the grid can be upgraded in parallel, with investments in storage and cross-regional dispatch to ensure stable and reliable green energy supply.n
nIn contrast, many developing countries are taking a completely different path. For them, green energy is not a supplement but a starting point. In Chad, sub-Saharan Africa, where the national electrification rate is only about 6%, the recently launched Noor Chad solar power plant and microgrid project is expected to provide stable electricity to approximately 274,000 households for the first time. For villages long reliant on diesel generators, this is not just an energy revolution but a social leap. Solar energy is much cheaper and quicker to deploy than building refineries, laying pipelines, or setting up gas stations. Similarly, Argentina is benefiting from the transition, with its wind and solar installations doubling in just five years, becoming a new engine for attracting foreign investment and creating jobs.n
nThese examples prove that energy transition is not the preserve of wealthy nations. For developing countries, green energy represents a leapfrogging opportunity—it allows them to skip the fossil fuel era and directly enter a low-carbon economy. If the international community can provide financing, technology, and insurance support, these emerging markets could become new drivers of global energy growth. The equitable distribution of green energy also helps reduce reliance on Chinese manufacturing, achieving a truly multipolar energy order.n
nTrump’s misjudgment may seem absurd, but it inadvertently reminds the world: if the energy transition is overly concentrated in a single country, its achievements will ultimately be fragile. The future green era cannot rely solely on one supplier or one continent. The surpassing of coal by renewable energy is just the beginning. The real turning point is whether the world can establish a safer, more diversified, and fairer energy system. As wind and sunlight illuminate the globe, whether they can simultaneously brighten the future for all will determine the sustainability of this revolution.n
