China Coal Power: Generation, Share and Trend
China generated 5,756 TWh of electricity from coal in 2025, 54.8% of its total, according to Ember. That made it the largest coal power producer in 2025 of the 85 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year. Coal supplied 33.1% of the world's electricity in 2025. These are annual statistics for 2025, with monthly figures through July 2026; they are compiled from national sources and are not real time.
Key Facts
- China generated 5,756 TWh of electricity from coal in 2025.
- Coal supplied 54.8% of China's electricity in 2025.
- China was the largest coal power producer in 2025 among the 85 countries with Ember data, comparing each country's latest year.
- China's coal generation in 2025 was 17% higher than in 2020, when it was 4,931 TWh.
- China's coal generation in 2025 was 42% higher than in 2015, when it was 4,059 TWh.
- China's coal generation peaked at 5,836 TWh in 2024.
- China's coal share in 2025 was above the world share of 33.1%.
- China had 1,243 GW of coal generating capacity in 2025.
- Coal power in China emitted 5,200 MtCO2 in 2025, 94% of the power sector's emissions.
Key Figures, 2025
| Measure | Value | As of / source |
|---|---|---|
| Coal generation | 5,756 TWh | 2025 · Ember |
| Share of China's electricity | 54.8% | 2025 · Ember |
| World share of coal | 33.1% | 2025 · Ember |
| Rank by coal generation (each country's latest year) | 1 of 85 | 2025 · Ember |
| Coal capacity | 1,243 GW | 2025 · Ember |
| Coal power emissions | 5,200 MtCO2 | 2025 · Ember |
Coal Generation Year by Year
Ember annual statistics, 1985 to 2025Annual statistics through 2025, TWh
| Year | Coal |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 261 TWh |
| 1986 | 300 TWh |
| 1987 | 340 TWh |
| 1988 | 374 TWh |
| 1989 | 405 TWh |
| 1990 | 441 TWh |
| 1991 | 498 TWh |
| 1992 | 567 TWh |
| 1993 | 589 TWh |
| 1994 | 693 TWh |
| 1995 | 742 TWh |
| 1996 | 824 TWh |
| 1997 | 867 TWh |
| 1998 | 892 TWh |
| 1999 | 970 TWh |
| 2000 | 1,060 TWh |
| 2001 | 1,129 TWh |
| 2002 | 1,283 TWh |
| 2003 | 1,520 TWh |
| 2004 | 1,722 TWh |
| 2005 | 1,980 TWh |
| 2006 | 2,302 TWh |
| 2007 | 2,657 TWh |
| 2008 | 2,709 TWh |
| 2009 | 2,912 TWh |
| 2010 | 3,244 TWh |
| 2011 | 3,702 TWh |
| 2012 | 3,760 TWh |
| 2013 | 4,090 TWh |
| 2014 | 4,218 TWh |
| 2015 | 4,059 TWh |
| 2016 | 4,166 TWh |
| 2017 | 4,443 TWh |
| 2018 | 4,776 TWh |
| 2019 | 4,865 TWh |
| 2020 | 4,931 TWh |
| 2021 | 5,341 TWh |
| 2022 | 5,422 TWh |
| 2023 | 5,761 TWh |
| 2024 | 5,836 TWh |
| 2025 | 5,756 TWh |
Annual statistics through 2025, % of generation
| Year | China | World |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 63.5% | n/a |
| 1986 | 66.7% | n/a |
| 1987 | 68.4% | n/a |
| 1988 | 68.5% | n/a |
| 1989 | 69.3% | n/a |
| 1990 | 71.0% | n/a |
| 1991 | 73.6% | n/a |
| 1992 | 75.3% | n/a |
| 1993 | 72.6% | n/a |
| 1994 | 74.7% | n/a |
| 1995 | 73.7% | n/a |
| 1996 | 76.2% | n/a |
| 1997 | 76.4% | n/a |
| 1998 | 76.4% | n/a |
| 1999 | 78.2% | n/a |
| 2000 | 78.2% | 38.0% |
| 2001 | 76.3% | 38.0% |
| 2002 | 77.5% | 38.3% |
| 2003 | 79.6% | 39.5% |
| 2004 | 78.2% | 39.0% |
| 2005 | 79.2% | 39.5% |
| 2006 | 80.3% | 40.2% |
| 2007 | 81.0% | 40.8% |
| 2008 | 77.5% | 40.2% |
| 2009 | 78.4% | 39.9% |
| 2010 | 77.3% | 39.8% |
| 2011 | 78.7% | 40.6% |
| 2012 | 75.5% | 39.9% |
| 2013 | 75.5% | 40.8% |
| 2014 | 73.0% | 40.5% |
| 2015 | 70.0% | 38.7% |
| 2016 | 68.3% | 37.8% |
| 2017 | 67.6% | 38.0% |
| 2018 | 67.0% | 38.0% |
| 2019 | 65.1% | 36.7% |
| 2020 | 63.7% | 35.4% |
| 2021 | 62.9% | 36.0% |
| 2022 | 61.6% | 35.6% |
| 2023 | 61.3% | 35.2% |
| 2024 | 58.2% | 34.2% |
| 2025 | 54.8% | 33.1% |
| Year | Generation | Share | World share | Capacity | Emissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,756 TWh | 54.8% | 33.1% | 1,243 GW | 5,200 MtCO2 |
| 2024 | 5,836 TWh | 58.2% | 34.2% | 1,173 GW | 5,285 MtCO2 |
| 2023 | 5,761 TWh | 61.3% | 35.2% | 1,147 GW | 5,226 MtCO2 |
| 2022 | 5,422 TWh | 61.6% | 35.6% | 1,101 GW | 4,928 MtCO2 |
| 2021 | 5,341 TWh | 62.9% | 36.0% | 1,074 GW | 4,862 MtCO2 |
| 2020 | 4,931 TWh | 63.7% | 35.4% | 1,049 GW | 4,497 MtCO2 |
| 2019 | 4,865 TWh | 65.1% | 36.7% | 1,019 GW | 4,449 MtCO2 |
| 2018 | 4,776 TWh | 67.0% | 38.0% | 977 GW | 4,380 MtCO2 |
| 2017 | 4,443 TWh | 67.6% | 38.0% | 954 GW | 4,084 MtCO2 |
| 2016 | 4,166 TWh | 68.3% | 37.8% | 921 GW | 3,840 MtCO2 |
Full year by year history for China
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025. World shares are Ember's World totals; ranks compare each country's latest year, which can differ between countries.
Coal Generation Month by Month
Ember monthly statistics through July 2026Monthly statistics through July 2026, TWh
| Month | Coal |
|---|---|
| 2024-08 | 561 TWh |
| 2024-09 | 501 TWh |
| 2024-10 | 438 TWh |
| 2024-11 | 474 TWh |
| 2024-12 | 553 TWh |
| 2025-01 | 514 TWh |
| 2025-02 | 421 TWh |
| 2025-03 | 466 TWh |
| 2025-04 | 408 TWh |
| 2025-05 | 419 TWh |
| 2025-06 | 451 TWh |
| 2025-07 | 549 TWh |
| 2025-08 | 571 TWh |
| 2025-09 | 471 TWh |
| 2025-10 | 467 TWh |
| 2025-11 | 453 TWh |
| 2025-12 | 533 TWh |
| 2026-01 | 498 TWh |
| 2026-02 | 464 TWh |
| 2026-03 | 488 TWh |
| 2026-04 | 422 TWh |
| 2026-05 | 431 TWh |
| 2026-06 | 455 TWh |
| 2026-07 | 532 TWh |
Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of July 2026. Monthly figures for China can differ slightly from the annual totals.