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China Electricity: Generation Mix, Demand and Emissions

China generated 10,506 TWh of electricity in 2025, according to Ember. Coal was the largest source at 54.8%, followed by hydro (13.3%) and solar (11.2%). Demand was 10,486 TWh and each kWh generated emitted 528 gCO2/kWh. These are annual statistics for 2025, with monthly figures through September 2026; they are compiled from national sources and are not real time.

Key Facts

  • China generated 10,506 TWh of electricity in 2025.
  • Coal supplied 54.8% of China's electricity in 2025.
  • Hydro supplied 13.3% of China's electricity in 2025.
  • Solar supplied 11.2% of China's electricity in 2025.
  • Low carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) supplied 41.1% of China's generation in 2025.
  • The carbon intensity of China's electricity was 528 gCO2/kWh in 2025.
  • China's carbon intensity in 2025 was 26% lower than in 1985, when it was 709 gCO2/kWh.
  • China had the 1st highest electricity demand among the 96 countries with Ember data for 2025.

Key Figures, 2025

MeasureValueAs of / source
Total generation10,506 TWh2025 · Ember
Electricity demand10,486 TWh2025 · Ember
Demand per person7.46 MWh2025 · Ember
Net imports-19.5 TWh2025 · Ember
Carbon intensity528 gCO2/kWh2025 · Ember
Power sector emissions5,550 MtCO22025 · Ember
Demand rank (countries with 2025 data)1 of 962025 · Ember

Generation Mix, 2025

SourceGenerationShare
Coal 5,756 TWh 54.8%
Hydro 1,392 TWh 13.3%
Solar 1,173 TWh 11.2%
Wind 1,128 TWh 10.7%
Nuclear 485 TWh 4.6%
Gas 338 TWh 3.2%
Bioenergy 137 TWh 1.3%
Other fossil 97.0 TWh 0.9%
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Year by Year

Ember annual statistics, 1985 to 2025
China electricity generation by source, 1985 to 2025 China's electricity generation by main source from 1985 to 2025, in TWh. In 2025 the largest sources were coal at 5,756 TWh, hydro at 1,392 TWh, solar at 1,173 TWh, wind at 1,128 TWh, nuclear at 485 TWh. 0 1,500 3,000 4,500 6,000 198519901995200020052010201520202025
China's electricity generation by main source from 1985 to 2025, in TWh. In 2025 the largest sources were coal at 5,756 TWh, hydro at 1,392 TWh, solar at 1,173 TWh, wind at 1,128 TWh, nuclear at 485 TWh.
Annual statistics through 2025, TWh
China electricity generation by source, 1985 to 2025
YearCoalHydroSolarWindNuclear
1985261 TWh92.4 TWh0 TWh0 TWh0 TWh
1986300 TWh94.6 TWh0 TWh0 TWh0 TWh
1987340 TWh100 TWh0 TWh0 TWh0 TWh
1988374 TWh109 TWh0 TWh0 TWh0 TWh
1989405 TWh118 TWh0 TWh0 TWh0 TWh
1990441 TWh127 TWh0 TWh0 TWh0 TWh
1991498 TWh125 TWh0 TWh10.0 GWh0 TWh
1992567 TWh131 TWh0 TWh130 GWh0 TWh
1993589 TWh152 TWh0 TWh210 GWh1.60 TWh
1994693 TWh167 TWh0 TWh380 GWh14.8 TWh
1995742 TWh191 TWh10.0 GWh620 GWh12.8 TWh
1996824 TWh188 TWh10.0 GWh90.0 GWh14.3 TWh
1997867 TWh196 TWh10.0 GWh200 GWh14.4 TWh
1998892 TWh199 TWh10.0 GWh360 GWh14.1 TWh
1999970 TWh197 TWh20.0 GWh470 GWh15.0 TWh
20001,060 TWh222 TWh20.0 GWh590 GWh16.7 TWh
20011,129 TWh277 TWh30.0 GWh720 GWh17.5 TWh
20021,283 TWh288 TWh50.0 GWh840 GWh25.1 TWh
20031,520 TWh284 TWh60.0 GWh1.00 TWh43.3 TWh
20041,722 TWh354 TWh80.0 GWh1.28 TWh50.5 TWh
20051,980 TWh397 TWh80.0 GWh1.95 TWh53.1 TWh
20062,302 TWh436 TWh100 GWh3.71 TWh54.8 TWh
20072,657 TWh485 TWh110 GWh5.48 TWh62.1 TWh
20082,709 TWh637 TWh150 GWh13.1 TWh68.4 TWh
20092,912 TWh616 TWh280 GWh27.6 TWh70.1 TWh
20103,244 TWh711 TWh700 GWh49.4 TWh74.7 TWh
20113,702 TWh688 TWh2.61 TWh74.1 TWh87.2 TWh
20123,760 TWh863 TWh3.60 TWh103 TWh98.3 TWh
20134,090 TWh910 TWh8.37 TWh138 TWh112 TWh
20144,218 TWh1,060 TWh23.5 TWh160 TWh133 TWh
20154,059 TWh1,115 TWh39.5 TWh186 TWh171 TWh
20164,166 TWh1,153 TWh66.5 TWh241 TWh213 TWh
20174,443 TWh1,165 TWh118 TWh305 TWh248 TWh
20184,776 TWh1,199 TWh177 TWh366 TWh295 TWh
20194,865 TWh1,273 TWh224 TWh405 TWh349 TWh
20204,931 TWh1,322 TWh261 TWh467 TWh366 TWh
20215,341 TWh1,301 TWh327 TWh656 TWh408 TWh
20225,422 TWh1,304 TWh427 TWh763 TWh418 TWh
20235,761 TWh1,232 TWh584 TWh886 TWh435 TWh
20245,836 TWh1,364 TWh839 TWh997 TWh451 TWh
20255,756 TWh1,392 TWh1,173 TWh1,128 TWh485 TWh
YearGenerationDemandCarbon intensity
2025 10,506 TWh 10,486 TWh 528 gCO2/kWh
2024 10,025 TWh 10,008 TWh 559 gCO2/kWh
2023 9,403 TWh 9,386 TWh 586 gCO2/kWh
2022 8,800 TWh 8,787 TWh 590 gCO2/kWh
2021 8,496 TWh 8,482 TWh 602 gCO2/kWh
2020 7,746 TWh 7,729 TWh 609 gCO2/kWh
2019 7,472 TWh 7,455 TWh 622 gCO2/kWh
2018 7,133 TWh 7,118 TWh 639 gCO2/kWh
2017 6,572 TWh 6,559 TWh 646 gCO2/kWh
2016 6,102 TWh 6,090 TWh 653 gCO2/kWh

Full year by year history for China, 1985 to 2025

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

Month by Month

Ember monthly statistics through September 2026
China monthly electricity demand and generation, October 2024 to September 2026 China's electricity demand in September 2026 was 898 TWh, and generation from the sources Ember reports was 900 TWh. Carbon intensity that month was 533 gCO2/kWh. 0 300 600 900 1,200 2024-102025-042025-102026-04
China's electricity demand in September 2026 was 898 TWh, and generation from the sources Ember reports was 900 TWh. Carbon intensity that month was 533 gCO2/kWh.
Monthly statistics through September 2026, TWh
China monthly electricity demand and generation, October 2024 to September 2026
MonthDemandGeneration
2024-10779 TWh781 TWh
2024-11792 TWh794 TWh
2024-12892 TWh893 TWh
2025-01833 TWh834 TWh
2025-02741 TWh743 TWh
2025-03831 TWh832 TWh
2025-04773 TWh775 TWh
2025-05806 TWh808 TWh
2025-06870 TWh872 TWh
2025-071,010 TWh1,013 TWh
2025-081,012 TWh1,014 TWh
2025-09890 TWh892 TWh
2025-10855 TWh857 TWh
2025-11837 TWh838 TWh
2025-12913 TWh915 TWh
2026-01849 TWh851 TWh
2026-02810 TWh812 TWh
2026-03860 TWh861 TWh
2026-04809 TWh811 TWh
2026-05858 TWh860 TWh
2026-06906 TWh909 TWh
2026-071,024 TWh1,026 TWh
2026-081,020 TWh1,023 TWh
2026-09898 TWh900 TWh

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of September 2026.

Seasonal Patterns in China

Ember monthly statistics, complete years only, through September 2026

Electricity demand by month

Look for the brightest columns. Averaged over 2016 to 2025, demand is highest in August and lowest in February, and the busiest month uses 27% more electricity per day than the quietest.

China's electricity demand for each month, in TWh, 2016 to 2025. Colour shows demand per day, so short months are not shaded as quiet.
Year JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2025 833 741 831 773 806 870 1,010 1,012 890 855 837 913
2024 792 763 791 736 773 822 939 965 851 779 792 892
2023 739 665 747 691 726 777 887 884 782 745 774 868
2022 779 581 696 639 673 739 836 855 711 689 691 786
2021 744 545 683 650 679 712 785 765 699 666 680 748
2020 620 435 569 571 610 648 703 749 655 632 663 750
2019 620 510 588 563 579 601 678 688 610 593 611 676
2018 590 483 545 533 567 577 662 665 573 558 574 640
2017 519 428 520 482 501 524 610 602 530 515 542 589
2016 481 397 484 454 474 497 559 570 498 495 511 541
  • Lower demand per day
  • Higher demand per day
  • No data
  • Each cell shows the month's total demand in TWh, and colour compares demand per day so short months are not shaded as quiet. Lowest cell 397 TWh, highest 1,012 TWh. Colours are relative to China alone.

Low carbon share of generation by month

Look for the brightest columns. Averaged over 2016 to 2025, the low carbon share is highest in October (36%) and lowest in January (25%), a gap of 10.7 points.

Share of China's electricity generation from nuclear and renewable sources for each month, in percent, 2016 to 2025.
Year JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2025 34% 40% 40% 43% 44% 44% 41% 39% 43% 41% 42% 38%
2024 31% 33% 35% 39% 42% 42% 40% 37% 37% 40% 36% 34%
2023 30% 33% 32% 36% 36% 34% 33% 34% 37% 39% 35% 31%
2022 24% 33% 34% 38% 41% 39% 34% 31% 33% 37% 33% 30%
2021 24% 33% 29% 31% 34% 33% 34% 33% 36% 37% 32% 28%
2020 22% 32% 32% 31% 32% 34% 35% 32% 36% 37% 30% 25%
2019 23% 28% 30% 31% 34% 33% 33% 31% 32% 33% 29% 25%
2018 22% 26% 26% 28% 30% 31% 31% 30% 33% 34% 29% 25%
2017 21% 26% 25% 28% 30% 30% 30% 29% 32% 33% 29% 24%
2016 21% 26% 25% 28% 31% 31% 31% 28% 28% 29% 26% 22%
  • Lower low carbon share
  • Higher low carbon share
  • No data
  • Each cell shows the low carbon share. Lowest cell 21%, highest 44%. Colours are relative to China alone.

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of September 2026. Complete calendar years only.

Countries With a Similar Electricity Mix

Ember annual, 2025

China's closest match is India, 83.9% the same.

  1. India 83.9% the same India generates 16.1 points more coal than China
  2. Cambodia 79.9% the same Cambodia generates 16.7 points more hydro than China
  3. Vietnam 79.5% the same Vietnam generates 17.7 points more hydro than China
  4. Poland 78.9% the same Poland generates 12.3 points less hydro than China
  5. Morocco 77.7% the same Morocco generates 11.2 points less hydro than China

How close: the share of generation that would have to change fuel for one mix to match the other (half the sum of the fuel share differences); 100% minus that is "the same". Grids under 1 TWh are skipped. Grid twins: the 25 closest pairs and every country's nearest match

China Electricity FAQ

What is the main source of electricity in China?

Coal was the largest source of electricity in China in 2025, supplying 54.8% of generation, followed by hydro (13.3%) and solar (11.2%). Figures are Ember annual statistics.

How much electricity does China use?

China used 10,486 TWh of electricity in 2025, about 7.46 MWh per person.

How clean is China's electricity?

Generating a kilowatt hour of electricity in China emitted 528 gCO2/kWh in 2025, and low carbon sources supplied 41.1% of generation. That is 15% above the world average of 460 gCO2/kWh.

Does China import electricity?

No. China was a net exporter in 2025, exporting 19.5 TWh more than it imported.

When does China use the most electricity?

Averaged over 2016 to 2025, China's electricity demand is highest in August and lowest in February. The busiest month uses 27% more electricity per day than the quietest (Ember monthly data).

Cite this page
APA 7

World Power Monitor. (2026). China Electricity: Generation Mix, Demand and Emissions. https://worldpowermonitor.com/countries/china/

Plain text

World Power Monitor. China Electricity: Generation Mix, Demand and Emissions. Data as of 2026-09. Data from Ember. https://worldpowermonitor.com/countries/china/

BibTeX 
@misc{wpm_countries_china_2026,
  title = {{China Electricity: Generation Mix, Demand and Emissions}},
  author = {{World Power Monitor}},
  year = {2026},
  note = {Data as of 2026-09. Data from Ember.},
  url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/countries/china/}
}

Permalink: https://worldpowermonitor.com/countries/china/

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