China's Coal Plant Expansion Raises Concerns Amid Solar and Wind Growth
In 2025, China significantly increased its coal power capacity, commissioning over 50 large coal units, each with a generating capacity of 1 gigawatt or more. This expansion, reported by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and Global Energy Monitor, marks a sharp rise from previous years, with 78 gigawatts of new coal power capacity added. Despite this, China also saw substantial growth in renewable energy, adding 315 gigawatts of solar and 119 gigawatts of wind capacity. The increase in coal plants is partly attributed to energy security concerns following power shortages in 2021 and 2022, which led to a government push for more coal plants. The report suggests that the surge in coal capacity could hinder the transition to cleaner energy sources. 
