China's Coal Share in Power Mix Drops Below 50% for First Time

China’s reliance on coal for electricity generation has fallen below the 50% threshold for the first time on record, a landmark development in the world's largest energy consumer's transition toward cleaner sources.

A Milestone in Energy Transition

In the first six months of 2026, coal accounted for 49.7% of the nation's power mix, Xing Yiteng, a deputy director general at the energy administration’s development and planning office, announced on Thursday. This marks a significant shift in the country's energy landscape.

Concurrently, the share of renewable energy in the electricity mix surpassed 40% for the first time, reaching 41.2%. Wind and solar power constituted 24.6% of that total, with natural gas and nuclear power making up the remainder of the energy supply.

Rising Demand Complicates Outlook

Despite the shrinking proportion, analysts caution that China's absolute volume of coal consumption may still increase this year compared to the last. This potential rise is driven by soaring overall electricity demand, fueled by several key economic sectors.

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Factors contributing to the increased power needs include:

• The rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs)
• The expansion of energy-intensive data centers to support artificial intelligence
• Sustained growth in exports from its manufacturing sector

National Energy Targets

The milestone aligns with Beijing's long-term climate goals. The Chinese government has set a target for national coal consumption to peak no later than 2030 and aims for wind and solar to supply 30% of the power mix by that same year.

Some experts believe this renewable target could be achieved ahead of schedule. Gao Yuhe, a project manager at Greenpeace East Asia, suggested the goal could be met as early as 2028, citing the accelerated deployment of rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems.