China consumed a record 10.4 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2025, doubling U.S. usage and marking a 5% increase from 2024. The rise stems from the rapid expansion of high-tech sectors, combined with a massive growth in renewables that helped offset coal’s decline.

China’s coal consumption plummeted by 2.6% in the first half of 2025 while its electricity demand grew about 5%. Meanwhile, the United States recorded a 14% spike in coal-fired electricity. This divergence highlights two vastly different approaches to meeting power needs in the face of climate change.