China energy mix & electricity
In 2025, China generated 10.58 PWh of electricity. Coal dominates the mix with 54.3%, followed by hydropower at 13.2% and solar power at 11.1%.
Electricity generation by source in 2025
Share of electricity generation by source, with the change in percentage points over the last ten years.
| Source | TWh | Share | 10-yr Δ pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coal | 5,752 | 54.3% | −15.2 |
| Hydro | 1,397 | 13.2% | −6 |
| Solar | 1,175 | 11.1% | +10.4 |
| Wind | 1,135 | 10.7% | +7.5 |
| Nuclear | 488 | 4.6% | +1.7 |
| Gas | 334 | 3.2% | +0.3 |
| Bioenergy | 213 | 2% | +1.1 |
| Oil | 89.55 | 0.8% | +0.2 |
| Total | 10,583 | 100% |
China: electricity in context
In 2025, China generated 10.58 PWh of electricity. That is about 33% of the world total. Coal dominates the mix with 54.3%, followed by hydropower at 13.2% and solar power at 11.1%.
The renewable share stood at 37%, placing China 78th of 158 ranked countries. That is 3 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Asia (27.3%). Each kilowatt-hour emitted on average 525 g CO₂e, against a world average of 458 g. The grid is more carbon-intensive than the world average. In the cleanest-grid ranking, China is 104th of 158.
Since 2015, coal has added the most generation in absolute terms (+1.71 PWh), yet its share of the mix fell by 15.2 percentage points because other sources grew even faster. In share terms the biggest gainer was solar power (up 10.4 percentage points). The net effect: renewables gained 13.1 percentage points of share since 2015. Total generation grew by 4.77 PWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 668 to 525 g/kWh, a 21% cut.
The coal phase-down is well under way: 69.6% of generation in 2015, 54.3% by 2025.
Solar (11.1%) and wind (10.7%) now add up to 21.8% of generation; the global figure is 17.3%. Per person, that is 830 kWh of solar electricity a year, 2.5× the global average. In solar electricity per person, China ranks 21st in the world. Wind adds 802 kWh per person, the 23rd-highest figure of 156 countries. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2016.
Generation per person is 7,474 kWh a year, 1.9× the world average of 3,860 kWh. Imports and exports roughly cancel out.
How the power mix has changed
Electricity generation by source since 1985. Switch to shares to see the structural shift independent of demand growth.
Renewables and carbon intensity
China against the world and Asia averages.
Total energy: beyond electricity
Primary energy covers transport, heating and industry too. Renewables supply 17.5% of primary energy and fossil fuels 80.3% (2024). Per person, that is 34,514 kWh a year (world: 21,654).
Substitution method: non-fossil electricity is converted to the primary energy a fossil plant would have needed.
Domestic extraction of coal, gas and oil, in energy terms.
Power plants in China
The 4,235 power plants recorded in China add up to 1,415.1 GW of capacity, 68% of it Coal. The largest is Three Gorges Dam at 22,500 MW. The database was last updated in 2021, so newer wind and solar farms and rooftop PV are under-represented.
Largest power plants
| # | Plant | Fuel | Capacity MW | Commissioned | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Three Gorges Dam | Hydro | 22,500 | 2003 | — |
| 2 | Baihetan Dam | Hydro | 13,050 | — | — |
| 3 | Xiluodu | Hydro | 12,600 | 2013 | — |
| 4 | East Hope Metals Wucaiwan power station | Coal | 7,000 | 2014 | Xinjiang East Hope Non-Ferrous Metal Co Ltd. |
| 5 | Datang Tuoketuo power station | Coal | 6,720 | 2007 | Tuoketuo Power Company |
| 6 | Xiangjiaba | Hydro | 6,448 | 2014 | Chinese Yangtze power |
| 7 | Longtan | Hydro | 6,300 | 2009 | Longtan Hydropower Development Co. Ltd. |
| 8 | Gansu Wind Farm | Wind | 6,000 | — | — |
| 9 | Nuozhadu | Hydro | 5,850 | — | — |
| 10 | Waigaoqiao power station | Coal | 5,240 | 2004 | Shanghai Electric Group Company Limited |
| 11 | Guodian Beilun power station | Coal | 5,060 | 2002 | China Guodian Group Corporation |
| 12 | Guohua Taishan power station | Coal | 5,000 | 2007 | Shenhua Guohua Electric Power Corporation |
| 13 | Jiaxing power station | Coal | 5,000 | 2006 | Jiaxing Power Generation Co Ltd |
| 14 | Ahai | Hydro | 4,750 | — | — |
| 15 | CPI Pingwei power station | Coal | 4,540 | 2006 | China Power Investment Corporation (CPI) |
Source: WRI Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0). Explore all 4,235 plants on the interactive power plant map.
Solar & wind farms: China
25,182 utility-scale facilities tracked by Global Energy Monitor (2026): 582 GW of solar and 522 GW of wind operating, plus 1,568 GW under construction or planned.
How does China compare?
China next to 6 neighbouring countries, plus regional and world averages. Click a column to sort; use “Compare” for full side-by-side charts.
| Country | Renewable % | Low-carbon % | Fossil % | gCO₂/kWh | kWh / person | Generation TWh | Mix | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 37% | 41.7% | 58.3% | 525 | 7,474 | 10,583 | — | |
| Laos | 76.7% | 76.7% | 23.3% | 232 | 6,733 | 52.3 | Compare | |
| Vietnam | 45.4% | 45.4% | 54.6% | 461 | 3,051 | 310 | Compare | |
| Russia | 17.4% | 35.7% | 64.3% | 450 | 8,283 | 1,193 | Compare | |
| India | 24.1% | 26.7% | 73.3% | 670 | 1,422 | 2,082 | Compare | |
| Pakistan | 42.7% | 54.9% | 45.1% | 347 | 764 | 195 | Compare | |
| Kazakhstan | 14.9% | 14.9% | 85.1% | 805 | 5,934 | 124 | Compare | |
| Asia average | 27.3% | 32.1% | 67.9% | 573 | 3,749 | 18,015 | Compare | |
| World average | 33.8% | 42.6% | 57.4% | 458 | 3,860 | 31,772 | Compare |
Calculators for China
China energy: frequently asked questions
What percentage of electricity in China is renewable?
What is the main source of electricity in China?
How clean is the electricity in China?
Does China use nuclear power?
How much electricity does China use per person?
How much solar power does China produce?
Does China import electricity?
More countries in Asia
Sources & references
- Our World in Data: Energy dataset (CC BY 4.0) — compiled from the sources below
- Ember: Yearly Electricity Data — generation, shares, carbon intensity
- Energy Institute: Statistical Review of World Energy — primary energy, fossil production
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: International Energy Data — gap-filling for smaller countries
- World Resources Institute: Global Power Plant Database v1.3 (CC BY 4.0) — power plant locations and capacity
Electricity data: Ember and Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0); latest year 2025. Power plants: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). Rankings exclude systems under 1 TWh and values older than 2020. Figures may be revised by the original publishers.