China leads global clean energy transformation as renewables surpass coal for first time

Global renewable electricity generation has overtaken coal for the first time in recorded history. This is reported by CGTN, a partner of TV BRICS.

In the first half of 2025, China contributed more solar and wind power capacity than the rest of the world combined, accounting for over half of global solar growth and more than four-fifths of new wind generation. This large-scale deployment has enabled the country to meet all new domestic electricity demand entirely through renewable sources.

As a result, China’s fossil fuel-based electricity generation declined by 2 per cent, marking the first sustained downturn of its kind. The transition also delivered an immediate environmental impact, with carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector dropping by 46 million tonnes – the largest reduction of any nation. This significant decrease helped stabilise global emissions, effectively counterbalancing increases in major developed economies.

Experts note that by early 2025, the country’s combined wind and solar capacity officially surpassed total coal capacity, setting the foundation for a long-term transformation of the global energy landscape.

With the expansion of clean power generation continuing at a record pace, analysts predict that the coming decade will mark a definitive global energy pivot, with China’s renewable revolution serving as a blueprint for sustainable development worldwide.

Photo: dongfang zhao/ iStock