China added 72.1 GW of solar to its renewable energy capacity in the first six months of 2026, a 66% decline on the same period the previous year, while 38.6G W of wind was added, again down 25% on the previous year, new data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) showed.
Despite the decline in wind additions, in the first six months of this year, more wind capacity was added than in any full calendar year before 2025.
The decline in solar additions this year was due to a ‘very high baseline’ in 2025, as developers rushed to ensure that their projects would be covered by an existing price-support framework.
Elsewhere, China added 38.4 GW of thermal power capacity in the first six months of the year, a 49% increase on the previous year, while 6 GW of hydro power capacity was added, an increase of 53%. Some 3.6 GW of nuclear capacity was added, on a par with last year.
In June alone, 12.5 GW of solar power capacity, 13.6 GW of wind power capacity (a record high for the month of June), 6 GW of thermal power capacity and 1.9 GW of hydro power capacity was added to China’s renewable energy mix.
Emissions decline
China reported a decline in CO₂ emissions fell in July as fossil fuel power generation declined alongside lower output from coal, cement and crude steel, CREA noted.
Coal-fired power generation fell 2.5% year on year in July, following six months of year-on-year growth, while fas-fired generation declined 13.9%. Solar generation increased 10.4%, while Hydropower and nuclear generation rose by 7% and 6.7%, respectively. Wind generation fell 4.5%, due to poor wind conditions.
According to CREA, China’s energy system is ‘still feeling the impacts of the Strait of Hormuz crisis’, with crude ol imports falling by close to 25% year-on-year.
Electric vehicles
Elsewhere, China’s shift towards electrification continues – more than 1.5 million new energy vehicles (NEVs), including EVs, were sold in China in July, an increase of close to a quarter (23.7%) year on year and accounting for more than 60% of monthly vehicle sales for the first time.
Exports of NEVs topped 500,000 for the second consecutive month and represented 53% of vehicle exports. Read more here.
