Introducing the clean economy progress report
Asia's solar boom overtakes gas, Europe saves billions through renewables, EVs deliver major health benefits, and more.
By Bruce Douglas, CEO Global Renewables Alliance
In this monthly series, I highlight notable examples and markers of renewable energy deployment and global decarbonisation in action, from ground-level implementation to systemic breakthroughs rewriting the clean economy.
Solar has overtaken gas in Asia’s electricity mix for the first time, ranking third behind hydropower and coal, according to analysis from Carbon Brief. Rapid investment in solar power across Asia, led by China and supported by a surge in cheap solar-panel exports and high LNG prices, has nearly quadrupled the continent’s solar generation since 2020.
Almost half of gas generating countries have passed peak gas generation. A new report from Ember found that 61 out of 124 economies generating electricity from gas have already passed peak gas generation, including four G7 members—the UK, Germany, Italy and Japan. In 2025, solar generation grew 17 times faster than gas.
Solar PV has saved Europe EUR 17.4 billion (USD 19.8 billion) in avoided gas imports since the beginning of the 2026 Middle East war, as of 1 July. Analysis by SolarPower Europe estimates that this has saved Europe an average of EUR 136 million (USD 155.4 million) per day.
Spain’s investments in renewable energy since 2018 have weakened the link between gas and electricity prices. Households avoided about EUR 10 (USD 11.4) a month in higher power bills during the 2026 gas price spike as a result. Spain achieved a 37% increase in wind and solar generation between 2021 and 2025, and introduced new grid and battery-storage reforms after the 2025 Iberian blackout.
The UK government says private companies have now pledged more than GBP 100 billion (USD 180 billion) in investment in the clean economy since Labour took office in 2024, marking a major milestone for planned spending on offshore wind, solar power, grid upgrades, housing retrofitting, and other clean-energy infrastructure through 2031.
Major UK retailers, including Amazon, B&Q and Asda, are in talks with the government to begin selling plug-in balcony solar panels. This could help households—notably renters and flat owners—to cut electricity bills by up to 30%, according to the Guardian.
Seven Northeastern US states are suing the US administration over a nearly USD 1 billion deal refunding TotalEnergies for offshore wind leases with a pledge to redirect the money toward fossil fuels. California has also sent a notice of intent to sue the administration over a similar agreement that pays Golden State Wind USD 120 million to abandon an offshore wind lease in the state and invest the money in out-of-state fossil fuel projects.
The European Union approved EUR 23 billion (USD 26.28 billion) in aid to Italy to finance a 37.15 GW expansion in new onshore wind, solar, hydroelectric, and biogas-powered plants – equivalent to 48% of the country’s current installed renewable energy capacity.
Swedish startup Stegra closed a EUR 1.4 billion (USD 1.6 billion) financing round to support the construction of the world’s first large-scale hydrogen-fuelled green steel plant in Boden, Sweden.
Uptake of EVs in China has avoided approximately 262,000 premature deaths, according to a paper published in Nature that used satellite data to measure changes in air quality. China is the world’s largest market for EVs—by 2023, uptake of EVs, hybrids and hydrogen cars across 150 cities had led to a 24% reduction in fine particulate matter and a 31% reduction in carbon monoxide emissions compared to if all vehicles had combustion engines.
Disruption to global oil supply caused by conflict in Iran has accelerated Africa’s EV transition. Brian Njao, who runs e-mobility lending at M-Kopa, explained in the Financial Times that average daily petrol costs for motorcycle taxis have risen by more than 20%, from USD 4.20 to USD 5.10, while electric alternatives cost less than half as much to run, at around USD 2.30 per day.
A full archive of examples from the start of 2026 can be found here.