Overview

• A joint CREA and Global Energy Monitor report released on August 25 says new wind, solar and hydro capacity now covers all of China’s recent growth in electricity demand.
• China commissioned 21 gigawatts of coal power in the first half of 2025, the highest first‑half total since 2016, with coal still providing about half of the nation’s electricity.
• Developers started or restarted construction on 46 GW of coal plants this year and launched a further 75 GW of projects, extending the coal pipeline despite rapid clean‑energy gains.
• Only 1 GW of coal capacity was retired in the first half of 2025, leaving the country far from its goal to retire 30 GW between 2020 and the end of this year.
• Xi Jinping has pledged to strictly control coal and begin a decline in 2026–2030, yet analysts warn emissions could plateau without firm plant‑closure schedules and power‑market reforms driven in part by energy‑security concerns after 2022 outages.