Renewable Energy Consumption: China

Analysis# China Renewable Energy Consumption China's renewable energy consumption stood at 15.2% of total energy in 2021, reflecting a significant decline from its all-time peak of 33.9% in 1990. The country's lowest point came in 2011 at 11.3%, representing a cumulative 55.2% drop over the three-decade period. This contraction stems primarily from China's dramatic expansion of coal-based energy during rapid industrialization, which diluted the percentage share of renewables despite absolute renewable capacity growth. Since bottoming out in 2011, renewable energy consumption has rebounded steadily. The annual growth trajectory from 2012 through 2021 shows consistent increases, rising from 11.5% to 15.2%—a gain of 3.7 percentage points in a single decade. This upward trend reflects China's substantial investments in wind, solar, and hydropower infrastructure. Maintaining this momentum will be critical as China pursues its carbon neutrality commitments.