Electricity generation from renewables in China
China: Electricity generation from renewables was 3,920 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
3,920 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 15.3%
World rank
1st
of 214 countries
All-time high
3,920 terawatt-hours
in 2025
All-time low
29.08 terawatt-hours
in 1971
Years of data
55
1971–2025
Electricity generation from renewables in China, 1971–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
China recorded 3,920 terawatt-hours for electricity generation from renewables in 2025. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 15.3% on the previous year and up 181.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from renewables in China peaked at 3,920 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 29.08 terawatt-hours, in 1971.
China ranks 1st of 214 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Electricity generation from renewables in China, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 29.08 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1972 | 32.95 terawatt-hours | +13.3% |
| 1973 | 36.83 terawatt-hours | +11.8% |
| 1974 | 41.67 terawatt-hours | +13.2% |
| 1975 | 43.61 terawatt-hours | +4.6% |
| 1976 | 44.19 terawatt-hours | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 46.13 terawatt-hours | +4.4% |
| 1978 | 43.23 terawatt-hours | -6.3% |
| 1979 | 48.56 terawatt-hours | +12.3% |
| 1980 | 58.22 terawatt-hours | +19.9% |
| 1981 | 65.51 terawatt-hours | +12.5% |
| 1982 | 74.41 terawatt-hours | +13.6% |
| 1983 | 86.42 terawatt-hours | +16.1% |
| 1984 | 86.81 terawatt-hours | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 92.39 terawatt-hours | +6.4% |
| 1986 | 94.55 terawatt-hours | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 100.02 terawatt-hours | +5.8% |
| 1988 | 109.17 terawatt-hours | +9.1% |
| 1989 | 118.41 terawatt-hours | +8.5% |
| 1990 | 126.81 terawatt-hours | +7.1% |
| 1991 | 124.76 terawatt-hours | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 130.93 terawatt-hours | +4.9% |
| 1993 | 152.18 terawatt-hours | +16.2% |
| 1994 | 168.28 terawatt-hours | +10.6% |
| 1995 | 194.22 terawatt-hours | +15.4% |
| 1996 | 189.61 terawatt-hours | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 198.91 terawatt-hours | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 201.74 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 199.59 terawatt-hours | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 225.56 terawatt-hours | +13.0% |
| 2001 | 280.73 terawatt-hours | +24.5% |
| 2002 | 291.41 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 2003 | 287.28 terawatt-hours | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 357.43 terawatt-hours | +24.4% |
| 2005 | 404.37 terawatt-hours | +13.1% |
| 2006 | 446.72 terawatt-hours | +10.5% |
| 2007 | 500.71 terawatt-hours | +12.1% |
| 2008 | 665.08 terawatt-hours | +32.8% |
| 2009 | 664.39 terawatt-hours | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 786.38 terawatt-hours | +18.4% |
| 2011 | 792.38 terawatt-hours | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 999.56 terawatt-hours | +26.1% |
| 2013 | 1,093 terawatt-hours | +9.4% |
| 2014 | 1,289 terawatt-hours | +17.9% |
| 2015 | 1,394 terawatt-hours | +8.1% |
| 2016 | 1,523 terawatt-hours | +9.3% |
| 2017 | 1,667 terawatt-hours | +9.5% |
| 2018 | 1,835 terawatt-hours | +10.1% |
| 2019 | 2,015 terawatt-hours | +9.8% |
| 2020 | 2,185 terawatt-hours | +8.5% |
| 2021 | 2,449 terawatt-hours | +12.1% |
| 2022 | 2,671 terawatt-hours | +9.1% |
| 2023 | 2,894 terawatt-hours | +8.4% |
| 2024 | 3,399 terawatt-hours | +17.4% |
| 2025 | 3,920 terawatt-hours | +15.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 3,920 terawatt-hours is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.79 terawatt-hours, 1034.4× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- China's 3,920 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.98 terawatt-hours, 4000.5× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 40.69 terawatt-hours | 29.08 terawatt-hours | 48.56 terawatt-hours | 9 |
| 1980s | 88.59 terawatt-hours | 58.22 terawatt-hours | 118.41 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 168.7 terawatt-hours | 124.76 terawatt-hours | 201.74 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 412.37 terawatt-hours | 225.56 terawatt-hours | 665.08 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,339 terawatt-hours | 786.38 terawatt-hours | 2,015 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,920 terawatt-hours | 2,185 terawatt-hours | 3,920 terawatt-hours | 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 electricity generation from renewables in China?
- Electricity generation from renewables in China was 3,920 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 renewables recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 3,920 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from renewables recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.08 terawatt-hours in 1971.
- How does China rank for electricity generation from renewables?
- China ranks 1st out of 214 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from renewables rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 181.3%. 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 renewables. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours.