China Says It Has Built the World’s Largest Renewable Energy System – Nearly 40% of Electricity Now “Green”

Highlights

• China's renewable energy capacity reached 2,340 GW by end of 2025, representing 60% of total power generation—up from 40% in 2021, with wind and solar surpassing coal capacity for the first time.
• The country added over 430 GW of new wind and solar in 2025 alone, while installing 100+ GW of energy storage (40% of global capacity) to support grid integration.
• China's renewable expansion includes desert-based mega-projects with ultra-high-voltage transmission, the world's largest EV charging network, and vehicle-to-grid pilots for distributed storage.

China is claiming a major milestone in its energy transition, asserting that it has constructed the world’s largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, with renewables now making up a striking share of its power mix. Official data from the National Energy Administration show that by the end of 2025 (opens in a new tab), China’s total installed renewable energy capacity reached 2.34 billion kilowatts (2,340 GW) — roughly 60% of total power generation capacity — up sharply from about 40% at the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025).

China added more than 430 GW of new wind and solar capacity in 2025 alone, pushing combined wind and solar capacity to about 1.84 billion kilowatts — a level state sources highlight as surpassing coal capacity in scale for the first time in the country’s history. Concurrently, newly installed energy storage capacity is reported to have exceeded 100 GW, representing over 40% of global capacity and supporting grid integration of variable renewables.

Officials also emphasize advances in mechanisms to accelerate the use of clean power, such as green electricity certificate trading, which reportedly expanded dramatically in 2025, and reforms to market-based pricing for renewable grid access. According to state news reports, green power now accounts for nearly four out of every ten kilowatt-hours consumed nationwide, reflecting deeper penetration of clean energy into the overall electricity system.

Beijing’s renewable push is linked to strategic national goals for energy security and carbon transition. The development of large wind and solar bases in desert regions, combined with ultra-high-voltage transmission lines, has enabled the long-distance delivery of clean power, helping balance regional supply and demand. China also claims to operate one of the world’s largest electric vehicle charging networks and is testing vehicle-to-grid technologies that use EVs as distributed storage resources — steps aimed at smoothing intermittent generation and encouraging broader electrification.

Why This Matters

For Western markets, China’s expansion underscores its dominant position in the renewable energy value chain — from solar and wind capacity to storage and electric mobility infrastructure. The scale of installations and grid integration efforts contrasts with slower build-outs in many advanced economies, where permitting and financing challenges have constrained the growth of renewables.

While coal remains a significant part of China’s generation mix, this reported shift toward renewables — if independently verified — reflects a deepening structural change that could reshape global clean-energy markets, affect supply chains, and influence geopolitical energy competition.

Disclaimer: This summary draws on reporting from People’s Daily and Chinese government sources. The figures and assertions presented have not been independently verified and should be confirmed through international energy data sources and third-party analysis.