China Accounts for Half the World's Wind and Solar Capacity

This article is published in collaboration with Statista

by Felix Richter

Over the past few years, China has cemented its position as the global leader in renewable energy, with installed wind and solar capacity far exceeding that of any other country or region. According to data published in the Energy Institute’s latest Statistical Review of World Energy, the country accounts for roughly half of global installed wind and solar capacity as of 2025, with 641 gigawatts of wind and more than 1,200 gigawatts of solar power. No other country comes close, with the United States a distant second in both categories.

This dominance is the result of years of aggressive expansion. China has been adding renewable capacity at a pace unmatched anywhere else, driven by strong policy support, large-scale investment and the need to meet rapidly growing electricity demand. In 2025 alone, China installed 120 gigawatts of wind power capacity – more than the total installed capacity of any country except the United States. The gap is even more striking in solar power, where China added 315 gigawatts to the grid last year, which is equivalent to roughly one and a half times the United States’ entire installed solar capacity.

Beyond climate considerations, China’s rapid renewables buildout also reflects strategic priorities such as energy security and industrial policy. By scaling up wind and solar energy, the country reduces its dependence on imported fossil fuels while strengthening its global leadership in key technologies like solar panels, wind turbines and battery storage systems. As a result, the country is not only reshaping its own power mix but also playing a central role in the global transition to clean energy.

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