Why Solar Generation Keeps Growing Exponentially

As global electricity demand grows, we may be underestimating the scale of future generation needed to meet it. In this episode, Shayle speaks to Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember. Nic is the co-author of Ember’s annual Global Electricity Review. This year’s installment, released in April, demonstrates that renewable sources – and solar in particular – are continuing to grow exponentially, even as those markets mature. In 2025, solar generation grew by a remarkable 30% year-over-year globally; its highest rate in eight years. At the same time, global fossil generation declined in 2025, driven by drops in coal generation in both China and India. But as solar surges, how quickly grid-connected batteries can step in to absorb peak demand remains to be seen. In their conversation, Shayle and Nic dive deep into the data behind global electricity generation in 2025 and consider the future of the grid. They discuss why Ember’s report focuses on generation instead of capacity and dig into the factors driving solar’s continued exponential growth. They also dive into the numbers behind the fossil generation drop in China and India and consider what America’s LNG supply glut means for its power grid trajectory. Timestamps: 01:00 Overview of Ember's Global Electricity Review 05:11 Analyzing the solar exponential growth curve 09:27 Assessing wind and hydro’s growth trajectories 11:43 Understanding fossil fuel generation decline in China and India 20:39 The global nuclear build-out 25:42 Comparing India's clean energy trajectory to China 30:27 Exploring the massive BESS 2025 installation surge 40:38 The state of LNG Sponsors: Tune into Critical Capital, a brand new podcast from Crux and Latitude Studios. Hosted by Crux CEO Alfred Johnson, Critical Capital explores the interlocking forces powering clean and critical infrastructure. Join us every other Tuesday for in-depth conversations at the intersection of energy, government, finance, and global markets. Listen here, or wherever you get podcasts. Catalyst is brought to you by FischTank PR, an award-winning climate and energy tech, renewables, and sustainability-focused PR firm dedicated to elevating the work of both early-stage and established companies. Learn more about their PR approach and how they can support your company’s messaging by visiting fischtankpr.com. Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. EnergyHub helps utilities build next-generation virtual power plants that unlock reliable flexibility at every level of the grid. See how EnergyHub helps unlock the power of flexibility at scale, and deliver more value through cross-DER dispatch with their leading Edge DERMS platform, by visiting energyhub.com. 📺 Watch more episodes:    / @latitudemediainc   📰 Read Latitude Media: https://www.latitudemedia.com/ 📬 Subscribe to newsletters: https://www.latitudemedia.com/newslet... #Catalyst #energy #china #india #LNG #solar #windpower #renewableenergy #hydropower