Share of primary energy from fossil fuels in China
China: Share of primary energy from fossil fuels was 87.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of primary energy from fossil fuels in China, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of primary energy from fossil fuels in China stood at 87.5%. That is the lowest value across all 61 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 6.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of primary energy from fossil fuels in China peaked at 99.0% in 1978 and was at its lowest, 87.5%, in 2025.
That places China 35th out of 76 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 61 years of available data.
Share of primary energy from fossil fuels in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 98.5% | — |
| 1966 | 98.6% | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 98.7% | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 98.4% | -0.2% |
| 1969 | 98.7% | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 99.0% | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 98.9% | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 98.9% | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 98.8% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 98.7% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 98.9% | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 99.0% | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 99.0% | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 98.8% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 98.6% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 98.5% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 98.3% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 98.4% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 98.5% | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 98.4% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 98.3% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 98.5% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 98.3% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 97.8% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 97.6% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 97.8% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 97.7% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 97.6% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 97.7% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 97.5% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 97.2% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 97.1% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 97.2% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 97.1% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 97.1% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 97.1% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 97.0% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 96.3% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 96.4% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 96.2% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 96.3% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 95.6% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 95.3% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 94.5% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 93.9% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 93.1% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 92.5% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 91.9% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 91.5% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 91.1% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 90.6% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 90.1% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 90.0% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 88.7% | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 87.5% | -1.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 87.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 88.1%, 99% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- China's 87.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 88.3%, 99% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 98.6% | 98.4% | 98.7% | 5 |
| 1970s | 98.9% | 98.7% | 99.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 98.5% | 98.3% | 98.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 98.0% | 97.6% | 98.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 97.0% | 96.3% | 97.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 94.1% | 91.5% | 96.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.7% | 87.5% | 91.1% | 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 share of primary energy from fossil fuels in China?
- Share of primary energy from fossil fuels in China was 87.5% in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of primary energy from fossil fuels recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 99.0% in 1978.
- What is the lowest share of primary energy from fossil fuels recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 87.5% in 2025.
- How does China rank for share of primary energy from fossil fuels?
- China ranks 35th out of 76 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of primary energy from fossil fuels rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of primary energy from fossil fuels. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured as a percentage of total energy supply.