Annual percentage change in primary energy use in China
China: Annual percentage change in primary energy use was 2.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual percentage change in primary energy use in China, 1966–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual percentage change in primary energy use in China is 2.1%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 29.6% on the previous year and up 154.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual percentage change in primary energy use in China peaked at 28.6% in 1970 and was at its lowest, -10.0%, in 1967.
China ranks 95th of 217 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual percentage change in primary energy use in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 8.9% | — |
| 1967 | -10.0% | -212.5% |
| 1968 | 0.6% | -106.0% |
| 1969 | 22.3% | +3600.4% |
| 1970 | 28.6% | +28.5% |
| 1971 | 18.5% | -35.3% |
| 1972 | 7.7% | -58.4% |
| 1973 | 5.4% | -29.4% |
| 1974 | 2.9% | -46.6% |
| 1975 | 12.2% | +319.2% |
| 1976 | 5.4% | -55.8% |
| 1977 | 9.1% | +70.2% |
| 1978 | 10.0% | +9.1% |
| 1979 | 2.8% | -71.5% |
| 1980 | 0.8% | -72.3% |
| 1981 | -1.7% | -310.2% |
| 1982 | 4.2% | -355.1% |
| 1983 | 6.2% | +45.9% |
| 1984 | 7.5% | +22.5% |
| 1985 | 8.2% | +9.3% |
| 1986 | 4.8% | -41.1% |
| 1987 | 7.9% | +63.2% |
| 1988 | 7.4% | -6.7% |
| 1989 | 4.8% | -34.5% |
| 1990 | 1.1% | -76.7% |
| 1991 | 5.2% | +364.3% |
| 1992 | 5.2% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 7.5% | +43.9% |
| 1994 | 6.1% | -18.6% |
| 1995 | 2.6% | -56.9% |
| 1996 | 5.6% | +112.6% |
| 1997 | 0.5% | -90.3% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | -76.9% |
| 1999 | 3.7% | +2806.3% |
| 2000 | 3.3% | -10.0% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | +51.0% |
| 2002 | 9.2% | +84.1% |
| 2003 | 17.3% | +88.3% |
| 2004 | 16.8% | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 13.7% | -18.5% |
| 2006 | 9.6% | -29.6% |
| 2007 | 8.6% | -10.5% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | -66.7% |
| 2009 | 4.7% | +62.9% |
| 2010 | 6.5% | +38.0% |
| 2011 | 8.3% | +28.3% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | -61.7% |
| 2013 | 3.5% | +11.5% |
| 2014 | 1.8% | -49.4% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | -52.8% |
| 2016 | -0.1% | -107.0% |
| 2017 | 3.6% | -6174.6% |
| 2018 | 4.5% | +26.0% |
| 2019 | 3.1% | -32.3% |
| 2020 | 2.6% | -15.6% |
| 2021 | 5.4% | +108.9% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | -69.6% |
| 2023 | 6.2% | +278.2% |
| 2024 | 3.1% | -50.8% |
| 2025 | 2.1% | -29.6% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.6%, 83% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- China's 2.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.7%, 58% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual percentage change in primary energy use 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +6174.6% | -0.1% | 3.6% |
| 1969 | +3600.4% | 0.6% | 22.3% |
| 1999 | +2806.3% | 0.1% | 3.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.4% | -10.0% | 22.3% | 4 |
| 1970s | 10.3% | 2.8% | 28.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.0% | -1.7% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.8% | 0.1% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.1% | 2.9% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | -0.1% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.5% | 1.6% | 6.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
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 percentage change in primary energy use in China?
- Annual percentage change in primary energy use in China was 2.1% in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual percentage change in primary energy use recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 28.6% in 1970.
- What is the lowest annual percentage change in primary energy use recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -10.0% in 1967.
- How does China rank for annual percentage change in primary energy use?
- China ranks 95th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual percentage change in primary energy use rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 154.3%. 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); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual percentage change in primary energy use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage change in total energy supply relative to the previous year.