Electricity generation from coal in China
China: Electricity generation from coal was 5,752 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Electricity generation from coal in China, 1985–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, electricity generation from coal in China stood at 5,752 terawatt-hours.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and up 42.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from coal in China peaked at 5,828 terawatt-hours in 2024 and was at its lowest, 260.64 terawatt-hours, in 1985.
That places China 1st out of 207 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 335.77 terawatt-hours | 260.64 terawatt-hours | 405.06 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1990s | 708.41 terawatt-hours | 441.25 terawatt-hours | 969.68 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,927 terawatt-hours | 1,060 terawatt-hours | 2,912 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,120 terawatt-hours | 3,234 terawatt-hours | 4,855 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,500 terawatt-hours | 4,922 terawatt-hours | 5,828 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More energy & mining data for China
- Fuel imports 20.4% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 15.1% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 1.5% (2024)
- Gas production 2,641 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 1,865 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 2,641 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Gas production per person 1,865 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel exports 1.5% (2024)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 3.4% (2023)
- Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 59.5% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation from coal in China?
- Electricity generation from coal in China was 5,752 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity generation from coal recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 5,828 terawatt-hours in 2024.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from coal recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 260.64 terawatt-hours in 1985.
- How does China rank for electricity generation from coal?
- China ranks 1st out of 207 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from coal rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Electricity generation from coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours.