Per capita electricity generation by source in China

China: Per capita electricity generation by source was 4,062 kilowatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
4,062 kilowatt-hours
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
3rd
of 207 countries
All-time high
4,106 kilowatt-hours
in 2024
All-time low
245.94 kilowatt-hours
in 1985
Years of data
41
1985–2025

Per capita electricity generation by source in China, 1985–2025

01.0k2.0k3.0k4.0k1985200520251985: 245.9 kilowatt-hours1986: 278.1 kilowatt-hours1987: 310 kilowatt-hours1988: 335 kilowatt-hours1989: 357.2 kilowatt-hours1990: 382.5 kilowatt-hours1991: 425.7 kilowatt-hours1992: 478.9 kilowatt-hours1993: 492.1 kilowatt-hours1994: 573.5 kilowatt-hours1995: 608 kilowatt-hours1996: 669.6 kilowatt-hours1997: 698.6 kilowatt-hours1998: 712.9 kilowatt-hours1999: 769.5 kilowatt-hours2000: 835.1 kilowatt-hours2001: 883 kilowatt-hours2002: 996.7 kilowatt-hours2003: 1.2k kilowatt-hours2004: 1.3k kilowatt-hours2005: 1.5k kilowatt-hours2006: 1.7k kilowatt-hours2007: 2.0k kilowatt-hours2008: 2.0k kilowatt-hours2009: 2.2k kilowatt-hours2010: 2.4k kilowatt-hours2011: 2.7k kilowatt-hours2012: 2.7k kilowatt-hours2013: 3.0k kilowatt-hours2014: 3.0k kilowatt-hours2015: 2.9k kilowatt-hours2016: 3.0k kilowatt-hours2017: 3.1k kilowatt-hours2018: 3.4k kilowatt-hours2019: 3.4k kilowatt-hours2020: 3.5k kilowatt-hours2021: 3.7k kilowatt-hours2022: 3.8k kilowatt-hours2023: 4.0k kilowatt-hours2024: 4.1k kilowatt-hours2025: 4.1k kilowatt-hours

Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours.

Analysis

In 2025, per capita electricity generation by source in China stood at 4,062 kilowatt-hours.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and up 40.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, per capita electricity generation by source in China peaked at 4,106 kilowatt-hours in 2024 and was at its lowest, 245.94 kilowatt-hours, in 1985.

China ranks 3rd of 207 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 305.27 kilowatt-hours 245.94 kilowatt-hours 357.2 kilowatt-hours 5
1990s 581.13 kilowatt-hours 382.5 kilowatt-hours 769.48 kilowatt-hours 10
2000s 1,467 kilowatt-hours 835.13 kilowatt-hours 2,169 kilowatt-hours 10
2010s 2,959 kilowatt-hours 2,392 kilowatt-hours 3,411 kilowatt-hours 10
2020s 3,867 kilowatt-hours 3,451 kilowatt-hours 4,106 kilowatt-hours 6

Countries ranked near China

  1. 1 Australia 4,536 kilowatt-hours compare
  2. 2 Taiwan 4,523 kilowatt-hours compare
  3. 4 New Caledonia 3,895 kilowatt-hours compare
  4. 5 South Korea 3,765 kilowatt-hours compare
  5. 6 Serbia 3,561 kilowatt-hours compare

See the full ranking of 207 places →

More energy & mining data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is per capita electricity generation by source in China?
Per capita electricity generation by source in China was 4,062 kilowatt-hours in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest per capita electricity generation by source recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 4,106 kilowatt-hours in 2024.
What is the lowest per capita electricity generation by source recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 245.94 kilowatt-hours in 1985.
How does China rank for per capita electricity generation by source?
China ranks 3rd out of 207 countries with data for 2025.
Is per capita electricity generation by source rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is up 40.1%. 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 Per capita electricity generation by source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Per capita electricity generation by source
Unit
kilowatt-hours
Source
Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
207 places, 5,969 data points, 1920–2025
Last refreshed

Measured in kilowatt-hours per person.