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China still relies heavily on Coal, but is pushing to transition away from it. Of the 62% of electricity generated from Fossil Fuels, Coal represents most of it because China is not a large producer of Crude and related.

China accounted for more than half of the global increase in wind and solar power in 2024

38%
Share of clean electricity

18%
Share of solar and wind

62%
Share of electricity from fossil fuels

Hydropower remains China’s largest source of clean electricity, contributing 13% in 2024. The share of wind and solar combined reached 18%, just ahead of the global average of 15% and above its neighbours Japan (11%) and South Korea (6%).

The biggest shift in China’s electricity generation in 2024 was the continued explosive growth of solar. China contributed more than half of the global increase in both solar and wind generation. China is the world’s largest electricity consumer, in 2024 accounting for a third of global power demand, and clean generation met more than 80% of its demand growth.

Despite this progress, fossil fuels still provided 62% of China’s electricity in 2024. Its per capita power sector emissions have risen to match those of Japan, which is roughly twice the global average. Coal generation reached a record high but supplied less than 20%of the rise in electricity demand.

China is also the world’s largest coal mine methane (CMM) emitter, and emissions from coal mining are rising. To curb this, China has revised the policy for gassy mines. By 2027, mines which emit gas with a methane concentration above 8% must capture or destroy the methane. Addressing CMM would significantly reduce overall emissions from the power and steel sectors.

Over the past two decades, China’s power sector emissions have tripled, though the pace has slowed markedly thanks to the rapid renewables expansion and efficiency improvements in coal plants. However, the transition to cleaner energy remains a complex challenge.

China is on track to have at least 2461 GW of renewable electricity capacity installed by 2030, doubling the 2022 figure, with solar capacity nearly tripling.

“With decades of sustained policy support, China is now championing the global cleantech revolution, leading in both domestic deployment and world production across sectors like solar panels,” said Dr. Muyi Yang, Ember’s Senior Energy Analyst. “While clean energy promises many benefits, realising them requires bold, enduring policy frameworks that transcend political cycles. China’s example highlights that the race to a sustainable future will be won by those who invest not just in technology, but in the patience and persistence to see their vision through.”