China vs United States: Share of electricity generation from low-carbon sources
China
41.7%
in 2025
United States
43.0%
in 2025
China rank
96th
United States rank
94th
Share of electricity generation from low-carbon sources over time
- China
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 43.0% against 41.7% in China, a difference of 1.3%.
Across all 41 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.
China ranks 96th and United States ranks 94th of 213 countries.
United States has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 20.8% | 28.1% | 7.3% | United States |
| 1990s | 18.9% | 29.6% | 10.7% | United States |
| 2000s | 18.7% | 28.8% | 10.2% | United States |
| 2010s | 25.3% | 33.8% | 8.5% | United States |
| 2020s | 36.0% | 40.9% | 4.9% | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of electricity generation from low-carbon sources, China or United States?
- United States, at 43.0% against 41.7% in China as of 2025.
- What is the difference in share of electricity generation from low-carbon sources between China and United States?
- 1.3%, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?
- 41 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2025.
- How do China and United States rank globally for share of electricity generation from low-carbon sources?
- China ranks 96th and United States ranks 94th of 213 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Share of electricity generation from low-carbon sources. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Measured as a percentage of total electricity produced in the country or region. Low-carbon sources correspond to renewables and nuclear power, that produce significantly less greenhouse-gas emissions than fossil fuels. Renewables include solar, wind, hydropower, bioenergy, geothermal, wave, and tidal.