Core Highlight: Wind and Solar Capacity Exceeds 1.7 Billion kW, Renewable Energy Becomes Dominant Force in China's Power Structure

Date of Publication: October 31, 2025

The latest data from China's National Energy Administration (NEA) shows that the country's renewable energy development is advancing at an astonishing pace toward its "Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality" goals, establishing China as the absolute leader in the global green energy transition.

 I. Scale and Structure: New Installations Account for Over 80%, A Historic Breakthrough in Energy Mix

In the first three quarters of 2025, under the strategic deployment of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and the State Council, China's renewable energy sector achieved greater scale and higher quality development, providing strong support for energy security and structural optimization.

• ⚡ Record-Breaking New Capacity: In the first three quarters, the national newly installed renewable energy capacity reached a high of 310 million kilowatts (kW), marking a year-on-year increase of 47.7% and accounting for approximately 84.4% of the country's total new power installations.

• Total Capacity Takes Lead: As of the end of September, the total installed renewable energy capacity reached 2.198 billion kW, representing 59.1% of China's total power generating capacity, with a year-on-year growth rate of 27.2%.

• Wind & Solar Breakthrough: The combined installed capacity of wind and solar power exceeded 1.7 billion kW for the first time, highlighting their core position in the future power system.

 II. Generation and Impact: Green Power Surges, Supporting Societal Electricity Demand

The strong growth in renewable energy generation has not only optimized the energy mix but also provided robust support for the overall societal electricity supply.

• Generation Share Increase: In the first three quarters, the national total renewable energy power generation reached 2.89 trillion kilowatt-hours (kWh), a year-on-year increase of 15.5%, accounting for approximately 40% of the country's total electricity generation.

• Pillar for Industry: Renewable energy generation has reached approximately 60% of the industrial electricity consumption during the same period.

• Wind & Solar Surpass Residential Use: The combined power generation from wind and solar reached 1.73 trillion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 28.3%. It accounted for 22% of the total electricity consumption, a 4.1 percentage point increase from the same period last year, and significantly exceeded the electricity consumption of the tertiary industry (1.51 trillion kWh) and urban and rural residential use (1.24 trillion kWh).

• Contribution to Net Growth: The incremental power generation from wind and solar (382.2 billion kWh) exceeded the total increase in societal electricity consumption (358.1 billion kWh), making them the primary drivers of electricity growth.

III. Detailed Breakdown of Key Renewable Energy Sources (As of End of September 2025)