China added nearly 500 TWh of electricity in 2025 — equivalent to Germany's entire annual grid — driven mostly by solar and wind
By
Our World in Data
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Summary
China's electricity generation increased by nearly 500 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2025 alone — roughly equivalent to Germany's entire annual electricity output. Almost all of this new generation came from solar and wind, with solar alone adding 340 TWh more than the previous year (more than the UK and Spain generate from all sources combined). Low-carbon growth was so significant that coal power in China actually fell slightly.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledChina added a Germany-sized electricity grid last year
In 2025 alone, China's electricity generation increased by almost 500 terawatt-hours (TWh)
Almost all of this new generation came from solar and wind
China generated 340 TWh more electricity from solar than the year before
Low-carbon sources grew so much that coal power in China actually fell slightly
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