China vs United States of America: Electricity Generation, Gigawatt hours

China
5.71 million
in 2022
United States of America
2.70 million
in 2022
China rank
1st
United States of America rank
2nd

Electricity Generation, Gigawatt hours over time

  • China
  • United States of America
1.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M5.0M6.0M200020112022

How they compare

China currently reports 5.71 million against 2.70 million in United States of America, a difference of 3.01 million.

That makes China's figure about 2.1 times United States of America's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 23 shared years of data; in 2000 it was United States of America ahead.

China ranks 1st and United States of America ranks 2nd of 224 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and United States of America in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade China United States of America Difference Ahead
2000s 1.99 million 2.96 million 969,048 United States of America
2010s 4.29 million 2.87 million 1.41 million China
2020s 5.51 million 2.64 million 2.87 million China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher electricity generation, gigawatt hours, China or United States of America?
China, at 5.71 million against 2.70 million in United States of America as of 2022.
What is the difference in electricity generation, gigawatt hours between China and United States of America?
3.01 million, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States of America?
23 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2022.
How do China and United States of America rank globally for electricity generation, gigawatt hours?
China ranks 1st and United States of America ranks 2nd of 224 countries.
Where does this data come from?
International Monetary Fund, published as Electricity Generation, Gigawatt hours (Fossil fuels). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs United States of America: Electricity Generation, Gigawatt hours. Statizoid, drawing on International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://energy.statizoid.com/compare/electricity-generation-gigawatt-hours-fossil-fuels/china/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Electricity Generation, Gigawatt hours (Fossil fuels)
Source
International Monetary Fund
Licence
IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
247 places, 5,616 data points, 2000–2023
Last refreshed

This dataset provides information on electricity generation and installed capacity, categorized by energy type (renewable and non-renewable) and five technology types (Fossil fuels, Hydropower, Solar energy, Wind energy, and Bioenergy). The data has been sourced from the International Renewable Energy Agency (https://pxweb.irena.org/pxweb/en/IRENASTAT). The indicators on energy transition have been formulated to help users understand the progress in the adoption of renewable energy sources vis-à-vis the increasing energy requirements.