Fossil fuel consumption in China
China: Fossil fuel consumption was 39,443 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Fossil fuel consumption in China, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, fossil fuel consumption in China stood at 39,443 terawatt-hours. That is the highest value across all 61 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 27.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fossil fuel consumption in China peaked at 39,443 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1,444 terawatt-hours, in 1967.
That places China 1st out of 214 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1,549 terawatt-hours | 1,444 terawatt-hours | 1,776 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 3,468 terawatt-hours | 2,291 terawatt-hours | 4,628 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 5,778 terawatt-hours | 4,570 terawatt-hours | 7,486 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 9,395 terawatt-hours | 7,563 terawatt-hours | 10,753 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 18,134 terawatt-hours | 11,085 terawatt-hours | 25,088 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 30,574 terawatt-hours | 26,644 terawatt-hours | 33,550 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 37,260 terawatt-hours | 34,260 terawatt-hours | 39,443 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 fossil fuel consumption in China?
- Fossil fuel consumption in China was 39,443 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fossil fuel consumption recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 39,443 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest fossil fuel consumption recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,444 terawatt-hours in 1967.
- How does China rank for fossil fuel consumption?
- China ranks 1st out of 214 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fossil fuel consumption rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.7%. 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) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Fossil fuel consumption. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours. Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and gas.