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Coal-fired power generation falls in both China and India in 2025
- 10 hours ago (2026-01-13)
- David Flin
A report by Carbon Brief indicates that coal-fired power generation fell in both China and India in 2025, the first year that this has happened since 1973.
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According to the report, electricity generation from coal fell by 57 TWh (3.0 per cent) in India, while there was a fall of 58 TWh (1.6 per cent) in China. The last time both countries had a decline in coal-fired power generation was 1973, during the global oil crisis.
In China, coal-fired power generation fell despite electricity demand growing by around 5 per cent, driven by massive expansion in renewable and nuclear energy. The country is estimated to have added over 300 GW of solar power and over 100 GW of wind power in 2025. Solar and wind generation rose by 450 TWh in the first eleven months, while nuclear power added another 35 TWh of growth.
India’s fall in coal-fired power generation was due to a combination of clean energy growth, slower demand growth due to milder weather, and a longer term slowdown in electricity consumption. Carbon Brief estimated that clean energy growth accounted for 44 per cent of the reduction in coal and gas use, while milder weather and weaker demand contributed 36 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.
India added around 35 GW of solar power, 6 GW of wind, and 3.5 GW of hydropower capacity in the first 11 months of 2025.