Share of electricity generation from coal in China
China: Share of electricity generation from coal was 54.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of electricity generation from coal in China, 1985–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of electricity generation from coal in China stood at 54.3%. That is the lowest value across all 41 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.9% on the previous year and down 21.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of electricity generation from coal in China peaked at 81.0% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 54.3%, in 2025.
That places China 11th out of 210 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 67.3% | 63.5% | 69.3% | 5 |
| 1990s | 74.8% | 71.0% | 78.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 78.6% | 76.3% | 81.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.4% | 64.7% | 78.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.0% | 54.3% | 63.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 8 Philippines 58.7% compare
- 9 Cambodia 56.6% compare
- 10 Bosnia and Herzegovina 55.4% compare
- 12 Kazakhstan 54.3% compare
- 13 Poland 50.4% compare
- 14 Vietnam 48.1% compare
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 share of electricity generation from coal in China?
- Share of electricity generation from coal in China was 54.3% in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of electricity generation from coal recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 81.0% in 2007.
- What is the lowest share of electricity generation from coal recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.3% in 2025.
- How does China rank for share of electricity generation from coal?
- China ranks 11th out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of electricity generation from coal rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Share of electricity generation from coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured as a percentage of total electricity produced in the country or region.