Annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels in China
China: Annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels was 315.07 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
315.07 terawatt-hours
Change on year
down 49.4%
World rank
3rd
of 76 countries
All-time high
2,473 terawatt-hours
in 2004
All-time low
-292.06 terawatt-hours
in 2016
Years of data
60
1966–2025
Annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels in China, 1966–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
China recorded 315.07 terawatt-hours for annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels in 2025.
The figure is down 49.4% on the previous year and up 473.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels in China peaked at 2,473 terawatt-hours in 2004 and was at its lowest, -292.06 terawatt-hours, in 2016.
That places China 3rd out of 76 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels in China, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 131.96 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1967 | -159.07 terawatt-hours | -220.5% |
| 1968 | 5.32 terawatt-hours | -103.3% |
| 1969 | 327.34 terawatt-hours | +6057.0% |
| 1970 | 514.21 terawatt-hours | +57.1% |
| 1971 | 423.53 terawatt-hours | -17.6% |
| 1972 | 207.25 terawatt-hours | -51.1% |
| 1973 | 156.6 terawatt-hours | -24.4% |
| 1974 | 85.53 terawatt-hours | -45.4% |
| 1975 | 387.96 terawatt-hours | +353.6% |
| 1976 | 192.66 terawatt-hours | -50.3% |
| 1977 | 344.59 terawatt-hours | +78.9% |
| 1978 | 415.48 terawatt-hours | +20.6% |
| 1979 | 124.03 terawatt-hours | -70.1% |
| 1980 | 27.13 terawatt-hours | -78.1% |
| 1981 | -85.25 terawatt-hours | -414.2% |
| 1982 | 186.7 terawatt-hours | -319.0% |
| 1983 | 285.33 terawatt-hours | +52.8% |
| 1984 | 386.27 terawatt-hours | +35.4% |
| 1985 | 448.75 terawatt-hours | +16.2% |
| 1986 | 287.35 terawatt-hours | -36.0% |
| 1987 | 489.94 terawatt-hours | +70.5% |
| 1988 | 489.83 terawatt-hours | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 342 terawatt-hours | -30.2% |
| 1990 | 76.97 terawatt-hours | -77.5% |
| 1991 | 405.42 terawatt-hours | +426.7% |
| 1992 | 417.86 terawatt-hours | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 616.55 terawatt-hours | +47.5% |
| 1994 | 506.18 terawatt-hours | -17.9% |
| 1995 | 232 terawatt-hours | -54.2% |
| 1996 | 564.5 terawatt-hours | +143.3% |
| 1997 | 45.66 terawatt-hours | -91.9% |
| 1998 | 12.03 terawatt-hours | -73.7% |
| 1999 | 389.44 terawatt-hours | +3137.7% |
| 2000 | 332.35 terawatt-hours | -14.7% |
| 2001 | 510.2 terawatt-hours | +53.5% |
| 2002 | 1,062 terawatt-hours | +108.1% |
| 2003 | 2,202 terawatt-hours | +107.4% |
| 2004 | 2,473 terawatt-hours | +12.3% |
| 2005 | 2,380 terawatt-hours | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 1,900 terawatt-hours | -20.2% |
| 2007 | 1,835 terawatt-hours | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 495.08 terawatt-hours | -73.0% |
| 2009 | 1,144 terawatt-hours | +131.1% |
| 2010 | 1,556 terawatt-hours | +36.0% |
| 2011 | 2,242 terawatt-hours | +44.1% |
| 2012 | 699.47 terawatt-hours | -68.8% |
| 2013 | 942.95 terawatt-hours | +34.8% |
| 2014 | 302.46 terawatt-hours | -67.9% |
| 2015 | 54.98 terawatt-hours | -81.8% |
| 2016 | -292.06 terawatt-hours | -631.2% |
| 2017 | 917.37 terawatt-hours | -414.1% |
| 2018 | 1,209 terawatt-hours | +31.8% |
| 2019 | 830.32 terawatt-hours | -31.3% |
| 2020 | 709.38 terawatt-hours | -14.6% |
| 2021 | 1,652 terawatt-hours | +132.9% |
| 2022 | 398.03 terawatt-hours | -75.9% |
| 2023 | 2,195 terawatt-hours | +451.5% |
| 2024 | 622.08 terawatt-hours | -71.7% |
| 2025 | 315.07 terawatt-hours | -49.4% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 315.07 terawatt-hours is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.77 terawatt-hours, 40.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- China's 315.07 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -2.37 terawatt-hours. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | +6057.0% | 5.32 terawatt-hours | 327.34 terawatt-hours |
| 1999 | +3137.7% | 12.03 terawatt-hours | 389.44 terawatt-hours |
| 2016 | -631.2% | 54.98 terawatt-hours | -292.06 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 76.39 terawatt-hours | -159.07 terawatt-hours | 327.34 terawatt-hours | 4 |
| 1970s | 285.18 terawatt-hours | 85.53 terawatt-hours | 514.21 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 285.81 terawatt-hours | -85.25 terawatt-hours | 489.94 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 326.66 terawatt-hours | 12.03 terawatt-hours | 616.55 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,433 terawatt-hours | 332.35 terawatt-hours | 2,473 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 846.29 terawatt-hours | -292.06 terawatt-hours | 2,242 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 982.02 terawatt-hours | 315.07 terawatt-hours | 2,195 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 1 United States 440.81 terawatt-hours compare
- 2 USSR 384.52 terawatt-hours compare
- 4 Indonesia 165.67 terawatt-hours compare
- 5 Turkey 84.85 terawatt-hours compare
- 6 Bangladesh 52.63 terawatt-hours compare
More energy & mining data for China
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 2.15 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 20.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels in China?
- Annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels in China was 315.07 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 2,473 terawatt-hours in 2004.
- What is the lowest annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -292.06 terawatt-hours in 2016.
- How does China rank for annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels?
- China ranks 3rd out of 76 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 473.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual change in primary energy from fossil fuels. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Change in total energy supply relative to the previous year, measured in terawatt-hours.