Fossil fuel production by fuel in China
China: Fossil fuel production by fuel was 2,641 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2,641 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 6.3%
World rank
5th
of 220 countries
All-time high
2,641 terawatt-hours
in 2025
All-time low
0 terawatt-hours
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Fossil fuel production by fuel in China, 1900–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Etemad & Luciani (1991); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
China recorded 2,641 terawatt-hours for fossil fuel production by fuel in 2025. That is the highest value across all 126 years on record.
That represents a change of up 6.3% on the previous year and up 94.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fossil fuel production by fuel in China peaked at 2,641 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0 terawatt-hours, in 1900.
China ranks 5th of 220 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fossil fuel production by fuel in China, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1901 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1902 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1903 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1904 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1905 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1906 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1907 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1908 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1909 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1910 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1911 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1912 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1913 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1914 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1915 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1916 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1917 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1918 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1919 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1920 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1921 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1922 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1923 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1924 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1925 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1926 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1927 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1928 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1929 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1930 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1931 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1932 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1933 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1934 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1935 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1936 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1937 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1938 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1939 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1940 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1941 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1942 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1943 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1944 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1945 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1946 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1947 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1948 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1949 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1950 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1951 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1952 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1953 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1954 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1955 | 1.32 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1956 | 2.77 terawatt-hours | +109.1% |
| 1957 | 3.97 terawatt-hours | +43.5% |
| 1958 | 4.76 terawatt-hours | +19.7% |
| 1959 | 5.54 terawatt-hours | +16.5% |
| 1960 | 6.32 terawatt-hours | +14.1% |
| 1961 | 7.11 terawatt-hours | +12.4% |
| 1962 | 7.89 terawatt-hours | +11.0% |
| 1963 | 8.67 terawatt-hours | +9.9% |
| 1964 | 9.45 terawatt-hours | +9.0% |
| 1965 | 10.24 terawatt-hours | +8.3% |
| 1966 | 11.02 terawatt-hours | +7.6% |
| 1967 | 11.8 terawatt-hours | +7.1% |
| 1968 | 12.59 terawatt-hours | +6.6% |
| 1969 | 15.36 terawatt-hours | +22.0% |
| 1970 | 28.93 terawatt-hours | +88.4% |
| 1971 | 37.69 terawatt-hours | +30.3% |
| 1972 | 48.78 terawatt-hours | +29.4% |
| 1973 | 60.27 terawatt-hours | +23.6% |
| 1974 | 75.89 terawatt-hours | +25.9% |
| 1975 | 89.2 terawatt-hours | +17.5% |
| 1976 | 101.79 terawatt-hours | +14.1% |
| 1977 | 122.15 terawatt-hours | +20.0% |
| 1978 | 138.38 terawatt-hours | +13.3% |
| 1979 | 146.24 terawatt-hours | +5.7% |
| 1980 | 143.82 terawatt-hours | -1.7% |
| 1981 | 128.4 terawatt-hours | -10.7% |
| 1982 | 120.24 terawatt-hours | -6.4% |
| 1983 | 123.06 terawatt-hours | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 125.28 terawatt-hours | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 130.32 terawatt-hours | +4.0% |
| 1986 | 138.68 terawatt-hours | +6.4% |
| 1987 | 139.99 terawatt-hours | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 143.72 terawatt-hours | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 151.67 terawatt-hours | +5.5% |
| 1990 | 154.18 terawatt-hours | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 156.12 terawatt-hours | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 159.14 terawatt-hours | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 168.97 terawatt-hours | +6.2% |
| 1994 | 176.97 terawatt-hours | +4.7% |
| 1995 | 180.91 terawatt-hours | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 202.72 terawatt-hours | +12.1% |
| 1997 | 228.82 terawatt-hours | +12.9% |
| 1998 | 234.62 terawatt-hours | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 253.96 terawatt-hours | +8.2% |
| 2000 | 274.14 terawatt-hours | +7.9% |
| 2001 | 305.68 terawatt-hours | +11.5% |
| 2002 | 329.18 terawatt-hours | +7.7% |
| 2003 | 352.9 terawatt-hours | +7.2% |
| 2004 | 417.86 terawatt-hours | +18.4% |
| 2005 | 497.08 terawatt-hours | +19.0% |
| 2006 | 590.14 terawatt-hours | +18.7% |
| 2007 | 697.85 terawatt-hours | +18.3% |
| 2008 | 809.32 terawatt-hours | +16.0% |
| 2009 | 859.4 terawatt-hours | +6.2% |
| 2010 | 965.45 terawatt-hours | +12.3% |
| 2011 | 1,062 terawatt-hours | +10.0% |
| 2012 | 1,115 terawatt-hours | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 1,218 terawatt-hours | +9.3% |
| 2014 | 1,312 terawatt-hours | +7.7% |
| 2015 | 1,357 terawatt-hours | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 1,379 terawatt-hours | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 1,492 terawatt-hours | +8.2% |
| 2018 | 1,614 terawatt-hours | +8.2% |
| 2019 | 1,767 terawatt-hours | +9.5% |
| 2020 | 1,940 terawatt-hours | +9.8% |
| 2021 | 2,092 terawatt-hours | +7.8% |
| 2022 | 2,218 terawatt-hours | +6.0% |
| 2023 | 2,343 terawatt-hours | +5.6% |
| 2024 | 2,484 terawatt-hours | +6.0% |
| 2025 | 2,641 terawatt-hours | +6.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2,641 terawatt-hours is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.6284 terawatt-hours, 4203.4× the median. (57 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fossil fuel production by fuel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | +109.1% | 1.32 terawatt-hours | 2.77 terawatt-hours |
| 1970 | +88.4% | 15.36 terawatt-hours | 28.93 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1910s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1920s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1940s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.84 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 5.54 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1960s | 10.04 terawatt-hours | 6.32 terawatt-hours | 15.36 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1970s | 84.93 terawatt-hours | 28.93 terawatt-hours | 146.24 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 134.52 terawatt-hours | 120.24 terawatt-hours | 151.67 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 191.64 terawatt-hours | 154.18 terawatt-hours | 253.96 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 513.35 terawatt-hours | 274.14 terawatt-hours | 859.4 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,328 terawatt-hours | 965.45 terawatt-hours | 1,767 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,286 terawatt-hours | 1,940 terawatt-hours | 2,641 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)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 20.4% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 15.1% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fossil fuel production by fuel in China?
- Fossil fuel production by fuel in China was 2,641 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Etemad & Luciani (1991); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fossil fuel production by fuel recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 2,641 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest fossil fuel production by fuel recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 terawatt-hours in 1900.
- How does China rank for fossil fuel production by fuel?
- China ranks 5th out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
- Is fossil fuel production by fuel rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 94.7%. 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); Etemad & Luciani (1991); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Fossil fuel production by fuel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours. Excludes gas flared or recycled. Includes natural gas produced for Gas-to-Liquids transformation.