In 2025, solar power achieved its most significant year yet, with one country driving the majority of the growth. China alone added 336 terawatt-hours (TWh) of new solar capacity, surpassing the combined additions of every other region worldwide. This milestone underscores the rapid acceleration of China's clean energy transition and its profound impact on the global energy landscape. According to Ember's Global Electricity Review 2026, the surge in Chinese solar generation, alongside strong gains in India, propelled global solar output to an unprecedented high. The data also signals a historic shift: for the first time in a century, renewables now generate more electricity worldwide than coal.
China's Solar Power Boom in 2025: 336 TWh Added in a Single Year
China's solar generation surged by 40% in 2025, reaching a total of 336 TWh for the year. To contextualize this figure, it exceeded the entire electricity consumption of the United Kingdom in 2025, which stood at 322 TWh. Ember's country data reveals that solar and wind together now constitute 22% of China's electricity mix, surpassing both the global average and the average for Asia. This growth is not an isolated event but part of a sustained exponential increase over several years, with 2025 marking the largest annual addition yet.
How China's Solar Growth Compares to the Rest of the World
Regional comparisons highlight China's dominance. Outside China, the rest of the world added approximately 300 TWh of new solar power. Asia (excluding China) contributed around 90 TWh, North America about 86 TWh, and Europe close to 80 TWh. Latin America and the Caribbean added 24 TWh, the Middle East 10 TWh, Oceania 6 TWh, and Africa just 4 TWh. In essence, China's solar additions alone exceeded the combined output of the next three largest regions. Consequently, more than half of all new solar capacity installed worldwide in 2025 originated from a single country.
Solar Power Meets 75% of Global Electricity Demand Growth in 2025
Solar was not only the fastest-growing power source in 2025 but also the primary driver in meeting rising electricity demand without increasing fossil fuel use. Global solar generation rose by 636 TWh, the largest annual increase for any electricity source except coal's post-pandemic rebound in 2021. According to Ember's Global Electricity Review 2026, solar power alone satisfied approximately 75% of the world's net increase in electricity demand in 2025. When combined with wind power, the two sources covered nearly all (99%) of the additional electricity needed that year.
Renewables Overtake Coal Worldwide for the First Time in a Century
Perhaps the most significant milestone is that renewables produced more electricity than coal globally for the first time in roughly 100 years. Renewables achieved a 33.8% share of global electricity generation, edging past coal's 33% share. Coal generation declined by 63 TWh in 2025, marking its first drop since 2020. This shift represents a historic change, as coal had been the backbone of global electricity for over a century before slipping to second place behind renewables in 2025.
Why China's Fossil Fuel Generation Is Falling Even as Demand Rises
A surprising finding is that despite strong growth in China's overall electricity demand, its fossil fuel generation decreased by 56 TWh in 2025, the first such decline since 2015. This occurred because clean energy, primarily solar, expanded rapidly enough to cover all additional demand. A similar trend emerged in India, where fossil generation dropped by 52 TWh despite economic growth. Together, China and India were the two largest contributors to the marginal 0.2% decline in global fossil fuel generation in 2025.
What China's Solar Dominance Means for the Global Energy Transition
China's solar leadership extends beyond installation scale. The country controls a substantial portion of the global solar supply chain, from raw materials to finished panels, keeping costs low and accelerating adoption worldwide. This gives China significant influence over the pace and affordability of the global transition to solar energy. Consequently, global progress on clean energy is now closely tied to decisions made in China, including trade policies, manufacturing capacity, and domestic regulations. As other nations seek to emulate this path, China's 2025 achievements serve both as a model and a reminder of the concentrated nature of current solar growth.
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