China Solar Capacity Surpasses Coal

China has surpassed coal as its largest source of installed electricity generation capacity, a significant milestone in the nation's rapid expansion of renewable energy. As of the end of July 2026, the country's solar power capacity reached 1,286 gigawatts, exceeding the 1,285 gigawatts of coal-fired power capacity. This development marks the first time solar has become the dominant category in China's total installed generation capacity, accounting for 31.5 percent. The achievement comes amid China's commitment to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060. While solar capacity has now overtaken coal, the country still relies more on coal for actual electricity generation. This is due to the intermittent nature of solar power, which has lower capacity utilization factors compared to the more consistent output from coal plants. In the first half of 2026, coal still accounted for 49.7 percent of China's total electricity generation, marking the first time it fell below 50 percent. Wind and solar combined provided approximately 25 percent of the nation's electricity during the same period.