China, the world’s largest electricity producer and consumer, met all of its electricity demand growth with clean energy in the first half of 2025 — a major milestone in its energy transition. The surge in solar, wind, and nuclear generation not only offset rising demand but also led to a decline in fossil fuel use and power sector emissions, according to Ember’s China Energy Transition Review 2025. China accounted for 55 percent of global solar growth, 82 percent of global wind growth, and 73 percent of global nuclear growth, solidifying its role as the global clean energy leader.
China Drives Global Solar and Wind Growth
China’s electricity demand grew by 198 TWh (4.2 percent) in the first half of 2025, down from a 326 TWh (7.5 percent) increase in the same period last year. The slowdown reflected a more moderate pace of industrial demand growth, but clean energy generation rose even faster — allowing the country to meet all demand growth without increasing fossil fuel generation, according to new analysis from Ember.
Solar energy generation was the standout performer. Output surged by 168 TWh (43 percent), far exceeding the global average increase of 31 percent. Solar alone accounted for 85 percent of China’s electricity growth and 55 percent of global solar growth. Its share in China’s electricity mix climbed to 11.5 percent, up from 8.4 percent in H1 2024 — a record increase for the sector.
Wind power generation rose by 79 TWh (16 percent), more than double the global average of 7.7 percent. Wind contributed to 40 percent of China’s total electricity growth and a striking 82 percent of global wind growth, with its share of the country’s power mix increasing from 11 percent to 12 percent.
Among other clean sources, nuclear power generation grew by 24 TWh (11 percent), representing 73 percent of global nuclear growth. Meanwhile, hydropower output declined slightly by 11 TWh (1.9 percent), primarily due to weather variations affecting water availability.
Fossil Fuel Generation and Emissions Decline
The rapid expansion of solar, wind, and nuclear capacity in early 2025 significantly reduced China’s dependence on fossil fuels. Coal-fired power generation fell by 56 TWh (2 percent), bringing its share of the electricity mix down from 59 percent to 56 percent. Gas generation also declined by 2.7 TWh (2 percent), while other fossil sources dropped by 0.1 TWh (1.8 percent).
As a result, China’s power sector CO₂ emissions decreased by 46 MtCO₂ (1.7 percent) compared with the same period in 2024. This marks one of the strongest emissions reductions in recent years for the world’s largest emitter — achieved without sacrificing energy supply or economic growth.
Over the past 12 months, China’s fossil generation appears to be plateauing, signaling a potential turning point for its long-term energy transition. However, analysts caution that weather variations and seasonal demand patterns can influence short-term trends, making it uncertain when fossil fuels will definitively peak in China’s electricity mix.
China’s Energy Transition Accelerates
China’s achievements in the first half of 2025 underscore its central role in the global renewable energy transformation. The country’s record-setting deployment of solar and wind capacity, combined with nuclear expansion, highlights its progress toward carbon neutrality by 2060.
With solar generation alone meeting most of its new electricity demand, and wind and nuclear contributing strongly, China is proving that large-scale renewable integration can drive both energy security and decarbonization. Continued investment in grid modernization, energy storage, and flexible generation will be key to maintaining this momentum and ensuring stable, sustainable growth in the years ahead.
Baburajan Kizhakedath