Even as China's expansion of solar and wind power raced ahead in 2025, the Asian giant opened many more coal power plants than it had in recent years – raising concern about whether the world's largest emitter will reduce carbon emissions enough to limit climate change.
More than 50 large coal units – individual boiler and turbine sets with generating capacity of 1 gigawatt or more – were commissioned in 2025, up from fewer than 20 a year over the previous decade, a research report released on 3 February says. Depending on energy use, 1 gigawatt can power from several hundred thousand to more than 2 million homes.
