This article by Jenny Farrell first appeared in Unity, the weekly publication of the Irish Communist Party.
CHINA has emerged as the driving force of the global energy transition, reshaping power generation through record-breaking investments in renewable technologies. Over the past two decades, it has aligned industrial growth with green energy, setting benchmarks in solar, wind, batteries, and electric mobility. The scale and speed of this shift are unmatched worldwide.
The numbers tell the story. In May 2025 alone, China added over 90 gigawatts of solar capacity—about 100 solar cells every second. Between January and July, nearly 280 gigawatts came online, twice Germany’s entire stock of wind and solar combined. The national target of 1,200 gigawatts by 2030 has already been reached six years early, highlighting both ambition and effectiveness.
Nuclear energy is also expanding, with China ranking third globally at 60 gigawatts, but this is modest compared with renewables. Wind and solar now provide 1,600 gigawatts, twenty-five times the nuclear share.
More than ten new nuclear projects are approved each year, yet the real momentum lies in renewables. The long-term backbone of China’s electricity system will be clean energy.
One of the keys to China’s success is policy consistency. As early as the 1990s, renewable technologies were declared a national priority, giving companies planning security and spurring investment. Provinces competed to attract top firms, driving rapid innovation and steep cost reductions. This produced a stream of breakthroughs that made solar modules, batteries, and electric vehicles more efficient and affordable worldwide.
Electric mobility is a prime example. More than twenty years ago, so-called New Energy Vehicles—including electric, hybrid, and hydrogen models—were made a strategic focus.
The foresight is clear today: in 2023, China sold more electric cars than the rest of the world combined, cementing its role as leader in sustainable transport. By prioritising electric mobility, it reshaped the global car market and hastened the shift away from combustion engines.
The transformation is visible in China’s cities, where heavy smog has lifted. A decade ago, pollution defined the urban landscape; today, air quality has improved markedly, the result of ambitious climate and environmental policies.
Reducing pollution while securing energy independence has driven the country to act at a scale few others attempt.
China has also set two clear climate goals: peak carbon emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. The first may come sooner than expected.
Since March 2024, emissions have declined steadily even as electricity demand and the economy grow.
For the first time, the fall reflects renewables outpacing fossil fuels rather than an economic slowdown—a profound change in trajectory and a milestone for global climate stability.
The pace of development speaks for itself. The image of China as a coal-dominated, smog-filled country is increasingly outdated. While coal still plays a role, its share of the energy mix is shrinking, with many new plants running below capacity because wind and solar already meet much of the additional demand. What remains is a country in transition, firmly on the path to a cleaner future.
China’s achievements in renewable energy are not only national milestones but also global game-changers. By reaching targets years ahead of schedule, slashing costs through mass production, and proving that large-scale decarbonisation is possible, the country has positioned itself as a green energy superpower.
Its leadership in solar, wind, batteries, and electric mobility sets the global standard, showing that rapid transformation is achievable when political vision, industrial policy, and innovation align.
Sources: Based on an interview published in Berliner Zeitung with Belinda Schäpe, China energy expert at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).