Key facts
- China's solar power capacity reached 1,274 GW by the end of June, nearly matching coal's 1,275 GW.
- Solar capacity is expected to surpass coal capacity this quarter.
- Non-fossil energy generation grew by 8.5% in the first half of 2026.
- Coal's share of China's electricity output fell below 50% for the first time in the first half of 2026.
- Renewable energy accounted for 41.2% of China's total electricity generation in the first half of 2026.
China is on the verge of surpassing its coal-fired power generation capacity with solar power as early as the current quarter, according to Chinese authorities. As of the end of June, solar capacity stood at 1,274 gigawatts (GW), narrowly trailing the 1,275 GW of coal-fired capacity.
The mid-year report from the China Electricity Council (CEC), cited by local media, indicates that solar power capacity has effectively tied coal as the country's largest primary power source. Renewable energy has become the primary driver for new power capacity additions in China.
In the first half of 2026, non-fossil energy power generation saw an 8.5% increase year-on-year, with these sources accounting for 70.7% of the total incremental power generation nationwide, according to Hou Wenjie, director of statistics and data intelligence at the CEC.
Official data also revealed that coal's share in China's electricity output dropped below 50% for the first time in the first half of 2026, a significant milestone in the nation's policy to promote non-fossil power sources. Coal averaged 49.7% of total electricity output during this period. Concurrently, electricity generation from renewable energy rose by approximately 9% year-on-year. Renewables constituted 41.2% of China's total electricity generation in the first half of 2026, with wind and solar combined contributing nearly 25% of the total power output.
Despite this achievement in reducing coal's dominance in electricity generation, China continues to depend on coal for industrial power and grid reliability.