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Built 2026-11-05 (5 November 2026)

China vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared

China generated 10,506 TWh of electricity in 2025 and the United Kingdom 294 TWh, according to Ember. China's largest source was coal (54.8%); the United Kingdom's was gas (31.3%). Each kWh generated emitted 528 gCO2/kWh in China and 218 gCO2/kWh in the United Kingdom. These are Ember annual statistics for 2025, compiled from national sources; they are not real time.

Who is bigger and who is cleaner? China is the bigger electricity producer, generating 35.8 times as much as the United Kingdom in 2025 (10,506 TWh against 294 TWh). The United Kingdom has the cleaner electricity by carbon intensity, at 218 gCO2/kWh against 528 gCO2/kWh in China in 2025.

Why this comparison: both among the 20 largest electricity users.

Open this comparison in the interactive tool to add more countries or change the metric.

Key Facts

  • Coal supplied 54.8% of China's electricity in 2025, against 0.1% in the United Kingdom.
  • China's electricity was 2.4 times as carbon intensive as the United Kingdom's in 2025, at 528 gCO2/kWh against 218 gCO2/kWh.
  • Electricity demand rose 36% in China between 2020 and 2025, while it fell 4% in the United Kingdom.
  • Low carbon sources supplied 41.1% of China's electricity in 2025 and 64.2% of the United Kingdom's.
  • Electricity demand in 2025 was 10,486 TWh in China and 312 TWh in the United Kingdom.

Key Figures, 2025

Ember annual statistics
Measure China United Kingdom
Total generation10,506 TWh294 TWh
Electricity demand10,486 TWh312 TWh
Demand per person7.46 MWh4.62 MWh
Carbon intensity528 gCO2/kWh218 gCO2/kWh
Power sector emissions5,550 MtCO264.0 MtCO2
Low carbon share41.1%64.2%
Largest sourceCoal 54.8%Gas 31.3%

Generation Mix, 2025

Share of generation
Source China United Kingdom
Coal 54.8% 0.1%
Gas 3.2% 31.3%
Wind 10.7% 29.4%
Bioenergy 1.3% 13.9%
Hydro 13.3% 1.8%
Nuclear 4.6% 12.4%
Solar 11.2% 6.6%
Other fossil 0.9% 4.4%

Carbon Intensity, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Carbon intensity of electricity in China and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025 Carbon intensity of electricity generated in China and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 528 gCO2/kWh in China and 218 gCO2/kWh in the United Kingdom. 0 200 400 600 800 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Carbon intensity of electricity generated in China and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 528 gCO2/kWh in China and 218 gCO2/kWh in the United Kingdom.
Annual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
Carbon intensity of electricity in China and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025
YearChinaUnited Kingdom
1985709 gCO2/kWh694 gCO2/kWh
1986728 gCO2/kWh721 gCO2/kWh
1987739 gCO2/kWh737 gCO2/kWh
1988740 gCO2/kWh710 gCO2/kWh
1989740 gCO2/kWh689 gCO2/kWh
1990745 gCO2/kWh705 gCO2/kWh
1991766 gCO2/kWh700 gCO2/kWh
1992778 gCO2/kWh665 gCO2/kWh
1993759 gCO2/kWh608 gCO2/kWh
1994761 gCO2/kWh589 gCO2/kWh
1995753 gCO2/kWh579 gCO2/kWh
1996771 gCO2/kWh557 gCO2/kWh
1997772 gCO2/kWh512 gCO2/kWh
1998774 gCO2/kWh510 gCO2/kWh
1999787 gCO2/kWh492 gCO2/kWh
2000784 gCO2/kWh522 gCO2/kWh
2001763 gCO2/kWh529 gCO2/kWh
2002773 gCO2/kWh521 gCO2/kWh
2003791 gCO2/kWh537 gCO2/kWh
2004779 gCO2/kWh536 gCO2/kWh
2005782 gCO2/kWh535 gCO2/kWh
2006787 gCO2/kWh559 gCO2/kWh
2007785 gCO2/kWh556 gCO2/kWh
2008747 gCO2/kWh554 gCO2/kWh
2009753 gCO2/kWh505 gCO2/kWh
2010742 gCO2/kWh517 gCO2/kWh
2011754 gCO2/kWh500 gCO2/kWh
2012722 gCO2/kWh537 gCO2/kWh
2013719 gCO2/kWh507 gCO2/kWh
2014696 gCO2/kWh463 gCO2/kWh
2015670 gCO2/kWh398 gCO2/kWh
2016653 gCO2/kWh333 gCO2/kWh
2017646 gCO2/kWh302 gCO2/kWh
2018639 gCO2/kWh286 gCO2/kWh
2019622 gCO2/kWh268 gCO2/kWh
2020609 gCO2/kWh243 gCO2/kWh
2021602 gCO2/kWh267 gCO2/kWh
2022590 gCO2/kWh255 gCO2/kWh
2023586 gCO2/kWh236 gCO2/kWh
2024559 gCO2/kWh216 gCO2/kWh
2025528 gCO2/kWh218 gCO2/kWh

Demand per Person, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Electricity demand per person in China and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025 Electricity demand per person in China and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 7.46 MWh in China and 4.62 MWh in the United Kingdom. 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Electricity demand per person in China and the United Kingdom each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 7.46 MWh in China and 4.62 MWh in the United Kingdom.
Annual statistics through 2025, MWh
Electricity demand per person in China and United Kingdom, 1985 to 2025
YearChinaUnited Kingdom
1985n/an/a
1986n/an/a
1987n/an/a
1988n/an/a
1989n/an/a
1990n/an/a
1991n/an/a
1992n/an/a
1993n/an/a
1994n/an/a
1995n/an/a
1996n/an/a
1997n/an/a
1998n/an/a
1999n/an/a
20001.06 MWh6.63 MWh
20011.15 MWh6.67 MWh
20021.28 MWh6.65 MWh
20031.47 MWh6.69 MWh
20041.69 MWh6.67 MWh
20051.90 MWh6.71 MWh
20062.17 MWh6.63 MWh
20072.47 MWh6.53 MWh
20082.61 MWh6.45 MWh
20092.76 MWh6.07 MWh
20103.10 MWh6.11 MWh
20113.46 MWh5.89 MWh
20123.63 MWh5.87 MWh
20133.93 MWh5.79 MWh
20144.17 MWh5.53 MWh
20154.16 MWh5.51 MWh
20164.36 MWh5.42 MWh
20174.67 MWh5.32 MWh
20185.04 MWh5.29 MWh
20195.26 MWh5.19 MWh
20205.44 MWh4.88 MWh
20215.97 MWh4.92 MWh
20226.20 MWh4.70 MWh
20236.64 MWh4.60 MWh
20247.10 MWh4.59 MWh
20257.46 MWh4.62 MWh

China history · United Kingdom history

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.

Cite this page
APA 7

World Power Monitor. (2025). China vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/china-vs-united-kingdom/

Plain text

World Power Monitor. China vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared. Data as of 2025. Data from Ember. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/china-vs-united-kingdom/

BibTeX 
@misc{wpm_compare_china_vs_united_kingdom_2025,
  title = {{China vs United Kingdom: Electricity Compared}},
  author = {{World Power Monitor}},
  year = {2025},
  note = {Data as of 2025. Data from Ember.},
  url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/china-vs-united-kingdom/}
}

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