China's electricity generation from renewable sources reached approximately 4 trillion kilowatt-hours in 2025, according to a report released by Chinese authorities on Friday.
The China Renewable Energy Development Report found that newly installed renewable power generation capacity in the country reached another record high last year, accounting for more than 60 percent of global additions. The report is produced by China's National Energy Administration.
According to the report, China's installed renewable energy capacity surpassed 2,337 gigawatts in 2025, with renewables accounting for 82.7 percent of newly installed power capacity. Newly installed distributed solar photovoltaic capacity exceeded 100 gigawatts for the second consecutive year.
A notable milestone identified in the report is that additional renewable energy generation entirely covered the country's growing power demand in 2025, marking the first time green energy alone has supported all incremental electricity needs driven by economic expansion.
The report projected that China would add around 300 gigawatts of new wind and solar power capacity in 2026, with renewables continuing to drive the country's energy transition. The report described China as having built the world's largest renewable energy system.
By comparison, EU electricity consumption is estimated at a lower level, highlighting the scale of China's renewable output.
China's renewable energy expansion has been driven by large-scale investment in wind and solar infrastructure, supported by national policy targets for carbon peaking before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. The country also dominates global manufacturing of solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries.
Analysts have noted that while the pace of renewable deployment is significant, integrating such large volumes of variable power into the grid remains a challenge. Improvements in regional power grid consumption and clean energy utilization have been reported, according to the National Energy Administration.
The report's findings come as China continues to lead global renewable energy deployment. In 2025, China accounted for more than 60% of global newly installed renewable power capacity. China has also expanded its investment in energy storage systems and grid infrastructure to accommodate the growing share of intermittent renewable sources.
China's renewable energy push is part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on coal, which still accounts for a substantial share of the country's overall energy mix. The country is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases but has committed to bringing emissions to a peak before 2030 and achieving net-zero by 2060.
Other major economies have also accelerated renewable deployment, though China's scale of installation remains significant.
Sources: National Energy Administration, gov.cn, SCIO, Reuters
