Renewable electricity output in China
China: Renewable electricity output was 28.4% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Renewable electricity output in China, 1990–2021
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA). Measured in % of total electricity output.
Analysis
China recorded 28.4% for renewable electricity output in 2021. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 68.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable electricity output in China peaked at 28.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 15.0%, in 2003.
That places China 94th out of 209 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.
Renewable electricity output in China, year by year
| Year | % of total electricity output | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 20.4% | — |
| 1991 | 18.5% | -9.5% |
| 1992 | 17.6% | -4.8% |
| 1993 | 18.1% | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 18.1% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 19.2% | +6.2% |
| 1996 | 17.6% | -8.6% |
| 1997 | 17.5% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 18.1% | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 16.7% | -7.6% |
| 2000 | 16.6% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 19.0% | +13.9% |
| 2002 | 17.6% | -7.1% |
| 2003 | 15.0% | -14.7% |
| 2004 | 16.2% | +7.9% |
| 2005 | 16.2% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 15.6% | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 15.3% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 17.6% | +15.6% |
| 2009 | 17.8% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 18.8% | +5.5% |
| 2011 | 16.8% | -10.4% |
| 2012 | 20.1% | +19.4% |
| 2013 | 20.1% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 22.1% | +9.5% |
| 2015 | 23.9% | +8.2% |
| 2016 | 25.1% | +5.0% |
| 2017 | 25.0% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 25.8% | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 26.9% | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 28.1% | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 28.4% | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.2% | 16.7% | 20.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.7% | 15.0% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.5% | 16.8% | 26.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.3% | 28.1% | 28.4% | 2 |
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 renewable electricity output in China?
- Renewable electricity output in China was 28.4% in 2021, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA).
- What is the highest renewable electricity output recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 28.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest renewable electricity output recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.0% in 2003.
- How does China rank for renewable electricity output?
- China ranks 94th out of 209 countries with data for 2021.
- Is renewable electricity output rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 68.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, International Energy Agency (IEA), published as part of Renewable electricity output (% of total electricity output). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Renewable electricity is the share of electricity generated by renewable power plants in total electricity generated by all types of plants.