Clean Energy Expansion Reaches Record Scale

China generated enough new electricity in a single year to match the annual output of a major industrialised nation, driven overwhelmingly by rapid growth in renewable energy.

“China effectively added a Germany-sized grid to its electricity system in just one year,” said researchers Hannah Ritchie and Pablo Rosado.

Electricity generation increased by almost 500 terawatt-hours in 2025, with solar power accounting for about 340 terawatt-hours of the growth and wind energy contributing a further 140 terawatt-hours. The expansion from these two renewable sources alone exceeded the total annual electricity generation of several countries. The surge in clean energy was so large that coal-fired electricity generation declined slightly despite overall demand growth. The figures highlight the accelerating role of solar and wind power in meeting energy needs while supporting the transition to lower-carbon electricity systems.