China’s solar capacity now tops coal for the first time

By the end of July 2026, China had installed 1,288 GW of solar power, just ahead of coal-fired capacity at 1,285 GW. Official Chinese energy data shows solar moving past coal on this measure for the first time, a symbolic shift for the world’s largest emitter and a clean-tech powerhouse.

Solar now accounts for 31.5% of installed capacity, according to the same official Chinese energy data. But installed capacity isn’t the same as generation. Solar runs far fewer hours than coal, so coal still produces more electricity. Even so, wind and solar reached 24.6% of generation in the first half of 2026, while coal fell to 49.7%, first time it has dropped below half, according to that same official data.

If you’ve been watching China’s EV boom, these numbers fit the broader picture. New energy vehicles made up 65.1% of July sales. Charging points were up 41.9% from a year earlier, reaching 23.68 million. Solar is also still being built even after feed-in tariffs ended, because it remains cheap and strategically important, according to official Chinese data.

None of this means coal is disappearing. Coal use has still edged higher as demand rises and gas prices stay elevated, and new coal plants along with long-term contracts still hold back renewables in what some describe as addition rather than transition. More storage should help. China had 136 GW of new energy storage at the end of 2025, up 84%, according to official Chinese energy data.