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Data as of 2025
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Built 2026-09-19 (19 September 2026)

China Electricity History, 1985 to 2025

China generated 411 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 10,506 TWh in 2025. China's electricity demand peaked at 10,486 TWh in 2025. The carbon intensity of China's electricity went from 709 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 528 gCO2/kWh in 2025. Figures are Ember annual statistics; Ember's series for China starts in 1985.

Key Facts

  • China generated 411 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 10,506 TWh in 2025.
  • China's electricity demand peaked at 10,486 TWh in 2025.
  • The carbon intensity of China's electricity went from 709 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 528 gCO2/kWh in 2025.
  • China's lowest carbon intensity on record was 528 gCO2/kWh, in 2025.
  • Other fossil's share of China's electricity went from 13.8% in 1985 to 0.9% in 2025, the largest change of any source.

Generation and Demand

1985 to 2025, TWh
China electricity generation and demand, 1985 to 2025 China generated 411 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 10,506 TWh in 2025. 0 3,000 6,000 9,000 12,000 198519901995200020052010201520202025
China generated 411 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 10,506 TWh in 2025.
Annual statistics through 2025, TWh
China electricity generation and demand, 1985 to 2025
YearGenerationDemand
1985411 TWh411 TWh
1986450 TWh450 TWh
1987497 TWh497 TWh
1988545 TWh545 TWh
1989585 TWh585 TWh
1990621 TWh621 TWh
1991678 TWh678 TWh
1992754 TWh754 TWh
1993812 TWh812 TWh
1994928 TWh928 TWh
19951,007 TWh1,007 TWh
19961,081 TWh1,081 TWh
19971,136 TWh1,136 TWh
19981,167 TWh1,167 TWh
19991,239 TWh1,239 TWh
20001,356 TWh1,347 TWh
20011,481 TWh1,472 TWh
20021,654 TWh1,646 TWh
20031,911 TWh1,903 TWh
20042,203 TWh2,197 TWh
20052,500 TWh2,494 TWh
20062,866 TWh2,859 TWh
20073,282 TWh3,271 TWh
20083,496 TWh3,483 TWh
20093,715 TWh3,703 TWh
20104,196 TWh4,183 TWh
20114,702 TWh4,689 TWh
20124,978 TWh4,967 TWh
20135,421 TWh5,410 TWh
20145,781 TWh5,770 TWh
20155,799 TWh5,786 TWh
20166,102 TWh6,090 TWh
20176,572 TWh6,559 TWh
20187,133 TWh7,118 TWh
20197,472 TWh7,455 TWh
20207,746 TWh7,729 TWh
20218,496 TWh8,482 TWh
20228,800 TWh8,787 TWh
20239,403 TWh9,386 TWh
202410,025 TWh10,008 TWh
202510,506 TWh10,486 TWh

Carbon Intensity

gCO2 per kWh generated
China carbon intensity of electricity, 1985 to 2025 The carbon intensity of China's electricity went from 709 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 528 gCO2/kWh in 2025. 0 200 400 600 800 198519901995200020052010201520202025
The carbon intensity of China's electricity went from 709 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 528 gCO2/kWh in 2025.
Annual statistics through 2025
China carbon intensity of electricity, 1985 to 2025
YearCarbon intensity
1985709 gCO2/kWh
1986728 gCO2/kWh
1987739 gCO2/kWh
1988740 gCO2/kWh
1989740 gCO2/kWh
1990745 gCO2/kWh
1991766 gCO2/kWh
1992778 gCO2/kWh
1993759 gCO2/kWh
1994761 gCO2/kWh
1995753 gCO2/kWh
1996771 gCO2/kWh
1997772 gCO2/kWh
1998774 gCO2/kWh
1999787 gCO2/kWh
2000784 gCO2/kWh
2001763 gCO2/kWh
2002773 gCO2/kWh
2003791 gCO2/kWh
2004779 gCO2/kWh
2005782 gCO2/kWh
2006787 gCO2/kWh
2007785 gCO2/kWh
2008747 gCO2/kWh
2009753 gCO2/kWh
2010742 gCO2/kWh
2011754 gCO2/kWh
2012722 gCO2/kWh
2013719 gCO2/kWh
2014696 gCO2/kWh
2015670 gCO2/kWh
2016653 gCO2/kWh
2017646 gCO2/kWh
2018639 gCO2/kWh
2019622 gCO2/kWh
2020609 gCO2/kWh
2021602 gCO2/kWh
2022590 gCO2/kWh
2023586 gCO2/kWh
2024559 gCO2/kWh
2025528 gCO2/kWh

Every Year

YearGenerationDemandNet importsCarbon intensityLow carbon share
2025 10,506 TWh 10,486 TWh -19.5 TWh 528 gCO2/kWh 41.1%
2024 10,025 TWh 10,008 TWh -17.0 TWh 559 gCO2/kWh 37.7%
2023 9,403 TWh 9,386 TWh -17.1 TWh 586 gCO2/kWh 34.6%
2022 8,800 TWh 8,787 TWh -13.0 TWh 590 gCO2/kWh 34.3%
2021 8,496 TWh 8,482 TWh -14.2 TWh 602 gCO2/kWh 32.9%
2020 7,746 TWh 7,729 TWh -17.0 TWh 609 gCO2/kWh 32.4%
2019 7,472 TWh 7,455 TWh -16.8 TWh 622 gCO2/kWh 31.2%
2018 7,133 TWh 7,118 TWh -15.2 TWh 639 gCO2/kWh 29.5%
2017 6,572 TWh 6,559 TWh -13.1 TWh 646 gCO2/kWh 28.8%
2016 6,102 TWh 6,090 TWh -12.7 TWh 653 gCO2/kWh 28.2%
2015 5,799 TWh 5,786 TWh -12.4 TWh 670 gCO2/kWh 26.7%
2014 5,781 TWh 5,770 TWh -11.4 TWh 696 gCO2/kWh 24.4%
2013 5,421 TWh 5,410 TWh -11.2 TWh 719 gCO2/kWh 22.1%
2012 4,978 TWh 4,967 TWh -10.8 TWh 722 gCO2/kWh 21.9%
2011 4,702 TWh 4,689 TWh -12.7 TWh 754 gCO2/kWh 18.6%
2010 4,196 TWh 4,183 TWh -13.5 TWh 742 gCO2/kWh 20.4%
2009 3,715 TWh 3,703 TWh -11.4 TWh 753 gCO2/kWh 19.8%
2008 3,496 TWh 3,483 TWh -12.8 TWh 747 gCO2/kWh 21.0%
2007 3,282 TWh 3,271 TWh -10.3 TWh 785 gCO2/kWh 17.2%
2006 2,866 TWh 2,859 TWh -6.88 TWh 787 gCO2/kWh 17.5%
2005 2,500 TWh 2,494 TWh -6.18 TWh 782 gCO2/kWh 18.3%
2004 2,203 TWh 2,197 TWh -6.08 TWh 779 gCO2/kWh 18.5%
2003 1,911 TWh 1,903 TWh -7.36 TWh 791 gCO2/kWh 17.3%
2002 1,654 TWh 1,646 TWh -8.40 TWh 773 gCO2/kWh 19.1%
2001 1,481 TWh 1,472 TWh -8.60 TWh 763 gCO2/kWh 20.1%
2000 1,356 TWh 1,347 TWh -8.75 TWh 784 gCO2/kWh 17.9%
1999 1,239 TWh 1,239 TWh n/a 787 gCO2/kWh 17.3%
1998 1,167 TWh 1,167 TWh n/a 774 gCO2/kWh 18.5%
1997 1,136 TWh 1,136 TWh n/a 772 gCO2/kWh 18.8%
1996 1,081 TWh 1,081 TWh n/a 771 gCO2/kWh 18.9%
1995 1,007 TWh 1,007 TWh n/a 753 gCO2/kWh 20.6%
1994 928 TWh 928 TWh n/a 761 gCO2/kWh 19.7%
1993 812 TWh 812 TWh n/a 759 gCO2/kWh 19.0%
1992 754 TWh 754 TWh n/a 778 gCO2/kWh 17.4%
1991 678 TWh 678 TWh n/a 766 gCO2/kWh 18.4%
1990 621 TWh 621 TWh n/a 745 gCO2/kWh 20.4%
1989 585 TWh 585 TWh n/a 740 gCO2/kWh 20.3%
1988 545 TWh 545 TWh n/a 740 gCO2/kWh 20.0%
1987 497 TWh 497 TWh n/a 739 gCO2/kWh 20.1%
1986 450 TWh 450 TWh n/a 728 gCO2/kWh 21.0%
1985 411 TWh 411 TWh n/a 709 gCO2/kWh 22.5%

Share of Generation by Source

Percent of total generation
YearCoalGasOther fossilNuclearHydroWindSolarBioenergy
202554.8%3.2%0.9%4.6%13.3%10.7%11.2%1.3%
202458.2%3.2%0.9%4.5%13.6%10.0%8.4%1.2%
202361.3%3.2%0.9%4.6%13.1%9.4%6.2%1.3%
202261.6%3.1%0.9%4.8%14.8%8.7%4.9%1.2%
202162.9%3.4%0.9%4.8%15.3%7.7%3.9%1.2%
202063.7%3.3%0.7%4.7%17.1%6.0%3.4%1.2%
201965.1%3.1%0.6%4.7%17.0%5.4%3.0%1.0%
201867.0%3.0%0.6%4.1%16.8%5.1%2.5%0.9%
201767.6%3.1%0.5%3.8%17.7%4.6%1.8%0.9%
201668.3%3.1%0.5%3.5%18.9%4.0%1.1%0.8%
201570.0%2.9%0.4%3.0%19.2%3.2%0.7%0.7%
201473.0%2.3%0.4%2.3%18.3%2.8%0.4%0.6%
201375.5%2.2%0.4%2.1%16.8%2.6%0.2%0.5%
201275.5%2.2%0.4%2.0%17.3%2.1%0.1%0.5%
201178.7%2.3%0.4%1.9%14.6%1.6%0.1%0.4%
201077.3%1.9%0.5%1.8%17.0%1.2%0.0%0.4%
200978.4%1.5%0.3%1.9%16.6%0.7%0.0%0.6%
200877.5%1.0%0.5%2.0%18.2%0.4%0.0%0.4%
200781.0%1.0%0.9%1.9%14.8%0.2%0.0%0.3%
200680.3%0.8%1.3%1.9%15.2%0.1%0.0%0.3%
200579.2%0.5%2.0%2.1%15.9%0.1%0.0%0.2%
200478.2%0.3%3.0%2.3%16.1%0.1%0.0%0.1%
200379.6%0.3%2.9%2.3%14.9%0.1%0.0%0.1%
200277.5%0.3%3.1%1.5%17.4%0.1%0.0%0.2%
200176.3%0.3%3.3%1.2%18.7%0.1%0.0%0.2%
200078.2%0.4%3.5%1.2%16.4%0.0%0.0%0.2%
199978.2%0.4%4.1%1.2%15.9%0.0%0.0%0.2%
199876.4%0.5%4.6%1.2%17.0%0.0%0.0%0.2%
199776.4%0.7%4.2%1.3%17.3%0.0%0.0%0.2%
199676.2%0.3%4.7%1.3%17.4%0.0%0.0%0.1%
199573.7%0.3%5.5%1.3%18.9%0.1%0.0%0.3%
199474.7%0.3%5.2%1.6%18.1%0.0%0.0%0.1%
199372.6%0.4%8.1%0.2%18.7%0.0%0.0%0.0%
199275.3%0.3%7.1%0.0%17.3%0.0%0.0%0.0%
199173.6%0.4%7.7%0.0%18.4%0.0%0.0%0.0%
199071.0%0.5%8.1%0.0%20.4%0.0%0.0%0.0%
198969.3%0.6%9.9%0.0%20.3%0.0%0.0%0.0%
198868.5%0.4%11.1%0.0%20.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
198768.4%0.6%11.0%0.0%20.1%0.0%0.0%0.0%
198666.7%0.4%11.9%0.0%21.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%
198563.5%0.2%13.8%0.0%22.5%0.0%0.0%0.0%

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.