MANY MINDEDChina’s coal power decline accelerates as clean energy expands
China’s coal power generation stopped growing in 17 of 26 provinces analyzed by Ember in 2025. These provinces account for more than half of China’s thermal power capacity, and their coal use declined as thermal power generation fell 0.7% in 2025 despite 5% growth in electricity demand. Battery storage capacity in China overtook pumped hydro as the largest installed capacity by end of 2024, growing 84% by 2025 and doubling in utilization since 2022. Fossil fuel use peaked in 8 of 11 industrial sectors tracked by Ember since 2018, with declines of 26% in food manufacturing, 52% in transport equipment, and 71% in fossil fuel extraction since 2018.
The scale of this shift stems from systemic electrification: electricity now supplies 75% of final energy demand in light manufacturing and 29% of China’s total final energy consumption in 2024—up from 22% in 2015. Electric vehicles displaced 400,000 barrels of gasoline daily in 2024, with China accounting for 90% of global electric truck sales in 2025.
This transition moves abundance by reducing China’s fossil fuel dependence, lowering emissions risks in industrial zones, and freeing up energy for more resilient systems. As clean technology exports reached $220 billion in 2025, the shift could lower energy costs for households and businesses while reducing air pollution in coal-heavy regions. The next phase will depend on whether China’s Five-Year Energy Plan targets oil and coal peaks by 2030, and whether battery storage utilization continues to grow beyond current levels.
*All data from Ember’s analysis of Chinese energy systems. Provincial data covers 26 provinces and regions. Electricity demand growth figures represent national totals. Fossil fuel decline percentages are relative to 2018 baselines.*
Source: Electrek