In the first half of 2026, coal-fired power plants in China generated 2.5 trillion kWh of electricity. This volume accounted for 49.7 percent of the country's total power production, marking the first time the share of coal has fallen below the 50 percent threshold during this period.
The National Energy Administration of China reported that the installed capacity of wind and solar power plants reached 1.95 billion kW by the end of June. This represents a 16.8 percent increase compared to the previous year, reflecting a rapid expansion of renewable energy infrastructure.
Actual electricity generation from wind and solar sources exceeded 1.2 trillion kWh during the first six months of the year. This output provided approximately one-quarter of the total electricity consumption across China, according to official data cited by Human Progress.
