Global GridChina's energy mix and electricity
🇨🇳 In 2025, China generated 10,600 TWh of electricity. The largest source was coal at 55%, followed by hydro (13%) and solar (11%). In total, 42% came from low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) and 58% from fossil fuels.
On average, each kilowatt hour produced about 526 grams of carbon dioxide (CO₂), above the world average of 458 grams in 2025. That makes China the 104th cleanest of 158 countries that generate at least 1 TWh a year.
Electricity demand was 10,600 TWh. China exported 19.5 TWh more electricity than it imported.
Since 2000, electricity generation has grown by 679%, from 1,360 TWh. The low-carbon share went from 17% to 42%. The biggest rise was in wind, from 0% to 11% of generation. The biggest fall was in coal, from 78% to 55%. Carbon intensity fell from 784 to 526 grams per kWh.
Live, hour-by-hour figures for China are not connected yet. The dashboard shows its yearly figures, energy mix since 2000 and interconnector trade.
Energy mix in 2025
- Coal 55%
- Hydro 13%
- Solar 11%
- Wind 11%
- Nuclear 4.6%
- Gas 3%
- Bioenergy 2%
- Oil and other fossil fuels 0.8%
| Source | Share | Generated |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 55% | 5,788 TWh |
| Hydro | 13% | 1,399 TWh |
| Solar | 11% | 1,177 TWh |
| Wind | 11% | 1,134 TWh |
| Nuclear | 4.6% | 488 TWh |
| Gas | 3% | 318 TWh |
| Bioenergy | 2% | 212 TWh |
| Oil and other fossil fuels | 0.8% | 84.8 TWh |
Total energy mix in 2024
Electricity is only part of the energy China uses: fuel for transport, heating and industry counts too. In 2024, China used 49,000 TWh of energy in all (primary energy). The largest source was coal at 53%, followed by oil (19%) and gas (9%). Fossil fuels made up 80% and low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) 20%.
- Coal 53%
- Oil 19%
- Gas 9%
- Hydro 6.8%
- Wind 5%
- Solar 4.2%
- Nuclear 2.3%
- Other renewables 1.3%
- Biofuels 0.1%
| Source | Share of all energy |
|---|---|
| Coal | 53% |
| Oil | 19% |
| Gas | 9% |
| Hydro | 6.8% |
| Wind | 5% |
| Solar | 4.2% |
| Nuclear | 2.3% |
| Other renewables | 1.3% |
| Biofuels | 0.1% |
Primary energy, with nuclear and renewable electricity counted as the fuel a power station would need to make it (the "substitution method"). Here "other renewables" is the Energy Institute's "geothermal, biomass and other" power generation, and biofuels are liquid fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. Source: Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0).
Energy security score
Strong. China ranks 18th of 158 countries and 1st of 46 in Asia. The score shows how well a country could keep electricity affordable and on if fuel supplies were disrupted.
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Produces its own energy In 2024, China produced energy equal to 83% of all the energy it used (100% or more scores full marks). | 83 |
| Variety of power sources How evenly generation is spread across nine sources. The largest, coal, made 55%. | 74 |
| Little reliance on imported power China exported more electricity than it imported, so it scores full marks. | 100 |
| Low-carbon power Nuclear and renewables made 42% of generation. | 42 |
| Low gas and oil use Gas and oil made 3.8% of generation; the score is 100 minus that share. | 96 |
The five measures are weighted 30%, 20%, 20%, 15% and 15%. How the score works.
Oil and gas pipelines
Global Energy Monitor lists 160,996 km of oil and gas pipelines operating in China, 18,074 km being built and 26,406 km proposed (lengths measured along the mapped routes; a pipeline crossing borders counts in full for each country). For liquefied natural gas (LNG), shipped by sea, it lists 54 import terminals operating (47 more being built or proposed).
See them on the interactive map · Pipelines around the world
How it has changed
| Year | Generated | Low-carbon | Fossil | CO₂ g/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1,360 TWh | 17% | 82% | 784 |
| 2005 | 2,500 TWh | 18% | 82% | 782 |
| 2010 | 4,210 TWh | 21% | 80% | 741 |
| 2015 | 5,810 TWh | 27% | 74% | 668 |
| 2020 | 7,780 TWh | 33% | 67% | 606 |
| 2024 | 10,100 TWh | 38% | 62% | 556 |
| 2025 | 10,600 TWh | 42% | 59% | 526 |
Questions about China's energy
What is China's energy mix?
In 2025, China's electricity came from coal 55%, hydro 13%, solar 11% and wind 11%. Counting all the energy it uses, including fuel for transport and heating, the mix in 2024 was coal 53%, oil 19%, gas 9% and hydro 6.8%.
How much of China's electricity is renewable?
37% of its electricity came from renewables in 2025 (hydro 13%, solar 11%, wind 11% and bioenergy 2%). Including nuclear power, 42% of its electricity was low-carbon.
What is China's main source of electricity?
Coal, which made 55% of its electricity in 2025.
How clean is China's electricity?
About 526 grams of CO₂ for each kilowatt hour in 2025, above the world average of 458 grams. It ranks 104th cleanest of 158 countries that generate at least 1 TWh a year.
Does China import electricity?
It is a net exporter: in 2025 it exported 19.5 TWh more electricity than it imported.
How secure is China's energy supply?
Global Grid's energy security score for China is 80 out of 100 (strong), 18th of 158 countries. It looks at how much of its own energy it produces, how varied its power sources are, its reliance on imported power and its use of low-carbon power, gas and oil.
Other countries in Asia
Sources: Ember yearly electricity data (CC BY 4.0), figures up to 2025; energy production and use by source from the Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0), 2024; pipelines and LNG terminals from Global Energy Monitor's Global Oil Infrastructure Tracker (June 2026 release) and Global Gas Infrastructure Tracker (November 2025 release) (CC BY 4.0). Ember's latest-year figures are first estimates and may be revised. TWh: terawatt hours (one billion kWh).