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Built 2026-11-05 (5 November 2026)

China vs Vietnam: Electricity Compared

China generated 10,506 TWh of electricity in 2025 and Vietnam 329 TWh, according to Ember. Coal was the largest source in both, at 54.8% in China and 47.8% in Vietnam. Each kWh generated emitted 528 gCO2/kWh in China and 459 gCO2/kWh in Vietnam. 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 31.9 times as much as Vietnam in 2025 (10,506 TWh against 329 TWh). Vietnam has the cleaner electricity by carbon intensity, at 459 gCO2/kWh against 528 gCO2/kWh in China in 2025.

Why this comparison: neighbours by land border or interconnector and both among the 20 largest electricity users.

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

Key Facts

  • Hydro supplied 31.0% of Vietnam's electricity in 2025, against 13.3% in China.
  • The average person in China used 7.46 MWh of electricity in 2025, 2.4 times as much as in Vietnam (3.09 MWh).
  • Low carbon sources supplied 41.1% of China's electricity in 2025 and 46.1% of Vietnam's.
  • Electricity demand in 2025 was 10,486 TWh in China and 337 TWh in Vietnam.

Key Figures, 2025

Ember annual statistics
Measure China Vietnam
Total generation10,506 TWh329 TWh
Electricity demand10,486 TWh337 TWh
Demand per person7.46 MWh3.09 MWh
Carbon intensity528 gCO2/kWh459 gCO2/kWh
Power sector emissions5,550 MtCO2151 MtCO2
Low carbon share41.1%46.1%
Largest sourceCoal 54.8%Coal 47.8%

Generation Mix, 2025

Share of generation
Source China Vietnam
Coal 54.8% 47.8%
Hydro 13.3% 31.0%
Solar 11.2% 10.3%
Wind 10.7% 4.5%
Gas 3.2% 6.0%
Nuclear 4.6% 0.0%
Bioenergy 1.3% 0.4%
Other fossil 0.9% 0.2%

Carbon Intensity, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Carbon intensity of electricity in China and Vietnam, 1985 to 2025 Carbon intensity of electricity generated in China and Vietnam each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 528 gCO2/kWh in China and 459 gCO2/kWh in Vietnam. 0 200 400 600 800 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Carbon intensity of electricity generated in China and Vietnam each year from 1985 to 2025, in gCO2/kWh. In 2025 it was 528 gCO2/kWh in China and 459 gCO2/kWh in Vietnam.
Annual statistics through 2025, gCO2/kWh
Carbon intensity of electricity in China and Vietnam, 1985 to 2025
YearChinaVietnam
1985709 gCO2/kWh579 gCO2/kWh
1986728 gCO2/kWh609 gCO2/kWh
1987739 gCO2/kWh632 gCO2/kWh
1988740 gCO2/kWh610 gCO2/kWh
1989740 gCO2/kWh428 gCO2/kWh
1990745 gCO2/kWh320 gCO2/kWh
1991766 gCO2/kWh258 gCO2/kWh
1992778 gCO2/kWh206 gCO2/kWh
1993759 gCO2/kWh198 gCO2/kWh
1994761 gCO2/kWh202 gCO2/kWh
1995753 gCO2/kWh227 gCO2/kWh
1996771 gCO2/kWh235 gCO2/kWh
1997772 gCO2/kWh302 gCO2/kWh
1998774 gCO2/kWh356 gCO2/kWh
1999787 gCO2/kWh301 gCO2/kWh
2000784 gCO2/kWh322 gCO2/kWh
2001763 gCO2/kWh291 gCO2/kWh
2002773 gCO2/kWh344 gCO2/kWh
2003791 gCO2/kWh376 gCO2/kWh
2004779 gCO2/kWh407 gCO2/kWh
2005782 gCO2/kWh462 gCO2/kWh
2006787 gCO2/kWh448 gCO2/kWh
2007785 gCO2/kWh439 gCO2/kWh
2008747 gCO2/kWh422 gCO2/kWh
2009753 gCO2/kWh413 gCO2/kWh
2010742 gCO2/kWh452 gCO2/kWh
2011754 gCO2/kWh408 gCO2/kWh
2012722 gCO2/kWh372 gCO2/kWh
2013719 gCO2/kWh374 gCO2/kWh
2014696 gCO2/kWh404 gCO2/kWh
2015670 gCO2/kWh487 gCO2/kWh
2016653 gCO2/kWh492 gCO2/kWh
2017646 gCO2/kWh433 gCO2/kWh
2018639 gCO2/kWh486 gCO2/kWh
2019622 gCO2/kWh557 gCO2/kWh
2020609 gCO2/kWh531 gCO2/kWh
2021602 gCO2/kWh475 gCO2/kWh
2022590 gCO2/kWh415 gCO2/kWh
2023586 gCO2/kWh467 gCO2/kWh
2024559 gCO2/kWh477 gCO2/kWh
2025528 gCO2/kWh459 gCO2/kWh

Demand per Person, 1985 to 2025

Ember annual statistics
Electricity demand per person in China and Vietnam, 1985 to 2025 Electricity demand per person in China and Vietnam each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 7.46 MWh in China and 3.09 MWh in Vietnam. 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 198519901995200020052010201520202025
Electricity demand per person in China and Vietnam each year from 1985 to 2025, in MWh. In 2025 it was 7.46 MWh in China and 3.09 MWh in Vietnam.
Annual statistics through 2025, MWh
Electricity demand per person in China and Vietnam, 1985 to 2025
YearChinaVietnam
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 MWh0.34 MWh
20011.15 MWh0.39 MWh
20021.28 MWh0.45 MWh
20031.47 MWh0.51 MWh
20041.69 MWh0.58 MWh
20051.90 MWh0.65 MWh
20062.17 MWh0.72 MWh
20072.47 MWh0.80 MWh
20082.61 MWh0.87 MWh
20092.76 MWh0.98 MWh
20103.10 MWh1.10 MWh
20113.46 MWh1.19 MWh
20123.63 MWh1.30 MWh
20133.93 MWh1.40 MWh
20144.17 MWh1.56 MWh
20154.16 MWh1.76 MWh
20164.36 MWh1.92 MWh
20174.67 MWh2.05 MWh
20185.04 MWh2.27 MWh
20195.26 MWh2.45 MWh
20205.44 MWh2.50 MWh
20215.97 MWh2.57 MWh
20226.20 MWh2.68 MWh
20236.64 MWh2.79 MWh
20247.10 MWh3.04 MWh
20257.46 MWh3.09 MWh

China history · Vietnam 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 Vietnam: Electricity Compared. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/china-vs-vietnam/

Plain text

World Power Monitor. China vs Vietnam: Electricity Compared. Data as of 2025. Data from Ember. https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/china-vs-vietnam/

BibTeX 
@misc{wpm_compare_china_vs_vietnam_2025,
  title = {{China vs Vietnam: Electricity Compared}},
  author = {{World Power Monitor}},
  year = {2025},
  note = {Data as of 2025. Data from Ember.},
  url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/compare/china-vs-vietnam/}
}

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