Coal's share of China's power generation falls below 50 percent for the first time, averaging 49.7 percent in the first half of 2026

Official data released on Thursday, 30 July 2026, show that coal's share of China's total electricity output averaged 49.7 percent in the first half of 2026, the first time on record that the share has fallen below 50 percent.

According to data from China's National Energy Administration, electricity generation from renewable sources rose about 9 percent from a year earlier as coal's share slipped. Renewables accounted for 41.2 percent of China's total electricity generation in the first half of 2026, with wind and solar combined producing almost 25 percent of total power output. The Xinhua news agency described the figures as underscoring the accelerating pace of China's low-carbon energy transition.

Despite the milestone, China continues to rely on coal to power industry and to maintain the reliability of its grids. Chinese authorities have not restricted coal power growth in the new five-year energy plan, describing the fuel as a "bottom-line guarantee" for the electricity system. China targets clean energy reaching 30 percent of its power generation by 2030, up from about 22 percent at present. China's energy mix matters directly to Iran, since the country is the largest buyer of Iranian crude and shifts in its energy demand feed through to world oil prices.