Even though 2025 presented many troubling challenges for science, there was a bright spot: It was the first year in which more power was generated worldwide from renewable energy, including wind and solar, than from coal. The situation came very close to “peak carbon,” the point at which fossil fuel emissions peak for the world and then start to decline. That milestone may now be only a few years away. These encouraging changes were mainly a result of the greater availability of solar and wind energy technology and cheaper lithium batteries to run electric cars and store solar energy. Because of these achievements, Science has selected “Rise of the Renewables” as its Breakthrough of the Year.
Many of the technologies that have led to this remarkable rise were developed in the United States, but advances in perfecting and manufacturing them have taken place in China. China is reaping the benefits economically, supplying 80% of the world’s solar cells, 70% of its wind turbines, and 70% of its lithium batteries. Outside the US, the demand for these products is enormous. As New York Times reporter David Gelles observed recently, “Chinese solar panels are literally the cheapest form of energy we have ever had on Earth.”
While the rest of the world is buying China’s cheap renewable technology, the United States is doubling down on fossil fuels. On Inauguration Day, President Trump signed an executive order to exploit US natural resources and “encourage energy exploration and production on Federal lands and waters.” At the same time, incentives for manufacturing and purchasing electric vehicles were withdrawn in favor of cars that burn gasoline. Even setting aside the environmental consequences of these moves, walking away from a business opportunity to sell renewable technology to the rest of the world was a poor decision. China’s revenue from exporting renewable technology is nearly as high as what the US makes now by exporting fossil fuels, but the income from selling renewables is increasing much faster because of high global demand.
As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) grows, these issues become crucial. The data centers required for AI will need massive amounts of energy. The US is making major technological bets on AI, including a recently announced drive to accelerate advances in science. All of these efforts will require investing in new energy sources. But US guidance for powering AI emphasizes fossil fuels and does not explicitly name renewables. China will have abundant amounts of renewable energy for data centers, with fossil fuels as a backup. Meanwhile, the US marches boldly backward toward the past.
Despite the regressive energy policy adopted by the Trump administration, the world’s overall progress on renewable energy is already having encouraging environmental consequences. The use of fossil fuels continues to grow, but it does so at a slower rate than that for renewables. Although the goal of limiting global warming to an increase of 1.5°C is probably no longer attainable, the imminent decline in the use of fossil fuels suggests that the world’s biggest coal user, China, is “just on the cusp” of a decrease in consumption, as data scientist Hannah Ritchie told Science. This puts a drop in global fossil fuel use within reach.
These advances are ultimately to the credit of the scientists who developed technologies that are enabling this energy transition. The silicon solar cells in use today can trace their descent to those originally invented at Bell Labs in 1954. Likewise, rechargeable lithium battery technology originated in the US at Exxon and also in Japan and the United Kingdom. The current progress stands on the shoulders of the pioneers responsible for this foundational research. But the US is now squandering an opportunity to reap the benefits of its own technology, ceding the income and the geopolitical power to a nation that repeatedly puts technological prowess above politics.
Every year, Science cites some “breakdowns” to go along with the breakthrough. The 2025 Breakthrough of the Year is accompanied by a breakdown for the United States in failing to benefit from its own innovations. The environmental and societal benefits of the breakthrough accrue to all countries. But the economic benefits are enjoyed by China, which unambiguously leads the world in prospering from improvements in technology.
While the global landscape presents a complex picture of technological leadership and policy choices, the undeniable momentum is toward renewable energy. This transition is not just an environmental imperative but a monumental economic opportunity. As nations navigate this shift, the critical need for reliable, efficient, and sustainable solar energy infrastructure has never been greater. This is where companies that specialize in the entire lifecycle of solar power—from generation to maintenance—become indispensable partners in building our clean energy future.
Introducing MULTIFIT, a national high-tech enterprise dedicated to the research, development, production, and sales of green energy solutions like solar power generation, as well as the construction and operational maintenance of photovoltaic power stations.
Multifit is a national high-tech enterprise dedicated to the research & development, production, sales of green energy solutions such as solar power generation, as well as the construction, cleaning, and operational maintenance of photovoltaic (PV) power stations. The company is headquartered in Beijing, with its production base located in the National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone in Shantou, Guangdong Province, and a branch office in Shenzhen.
The company specializes in the technical development, production, sales, and system integration of solar panel cleaning robots and supporting equipment, PV inverter power supplies, portable PV power stations, MPPT solar charge controllers, solar LED street lighting systems and their supporting products. Multifit also offers comprehensive services including the design, development, investment, and construction of solar power generation systems and electrical automation projects, alongside professional cleaning and operational maintenance for PV power stations.
Post time: Dec-24-2025