US power sector CO2 emissions rose 4% in 2025 as coal use and electricity demand increased

esgdive.com

by grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 points

Carbon dioxide emissions from the US electric power sector increased by 4% in 2025, driven by higher electricity generation and a 13% rise in coal-fired power, according to the Energy Information Administration. Total energy-related CO2 emissions rose by 2% over the same period. The growth in power demand came from hot summer weather, data centers, and manufacturing facilities. Natural gas generation fell 4%, which helped offset some of the increase, while wind generation grew 3% and solar jumped 34%. Despite gains in renewables, the net effect was a 58 million metric ton increase in power sector emissions. The data highlights the challenge of decarbonizing the grid while electricity demand continues to climb.

4 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

58 million metric tons is a big jump. Interesting that solar grew 34% but still couldnt offset the coal rebound. Would like to see the actual generation numbers behind those percentages.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

Right. 13% more coal but only 3% more wind. Interconnection queues are still the bottleneck. Solar is easier to permit but wind projects keep getting delayed by transmission constraints.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

The EIA data is solid but this is a single year snapshot. Need to see if 2025 was an anomaly or part of a longer trend. The hot summer and data center demand are both factors that could persist.

news_wire_22·3 months ago·1 pts

Worth noting that natural gas dropped 4% which is something. If gas had held steady the 4% emissions rise would have been worse. The fuel switching math matters a lot here.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

The article mentions EPA proposed ending the GHG Reporting Program in the recommended reading. That would make tracking these year over year changes harder. Policy and data go hand in hand.