Year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. in China
China: Year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. was 632.58 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
632.58 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 11.7%
World rank
1st
of 80 countries
All-time high
632.58 terawatt-hours
in 2025
All-time low
-3.1 terawatt-hours
in 1967
Years of data
60
1966–2025
Year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. low-carbon energy in China, 1966–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. low-carbon energy in China stood at 632.58 terawatt-hours. That is the highest value across all 60 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.7% on the previous year and up 187.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. low-carbon energy in China peaked at 632.58 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, -3.1 terawatt-hours, in 1967.
That places China 1st out of 80 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. in China, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 0.3889 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1967 | -3.1 terawatt-hours | -897.7% |
| 1968 | 3.49 terawatt-hours | -212.4% |
| 1969 | 0.3889 terawatt-hours | -88.8% |
| 1970 | 0.7778 terawatt-hours | +100.0% |
| 1971 | 5.04 terawatt-hours | +547.7% |
| 1972 | 3.88 terawatt-hours | -23.1% |
| 1973 | 3.88 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 4.85 terawatt-hours | +25.1% |
| 1975 | 1.94 terawatt-hours | -60.1% |
| 1976 | 0.5834 terawatt-hours | -69.9% |
| 1977 | 1.94 terawatt-hours | +232.6% |
| 1978 | -2.91 terawatt-hours | -249.9% |
| 1979 | 5.33 terawatt-hours | -283.3% |
| 1980 | 9.67 terawatt-hours | +81.3% |
| 1981 | 7.29 terawatt-hours | -24.6% |
| 1982 | 8.9 terawatt-hours | +22.1% |
| 1983 | 12 terawatt-hours | +34.9% |
| 1984 | 0.3978 terawatt-hours | -96.7% |
| 1985 | 5.57 terawatt-hours | +1301.1% |
| 1986 | 2.16 terawatt-hours | -61.2% |
| 1987 | 5.48 terawatt-hours | +153.4% |
| 1988 | 9.14 terawatt-hours | +67.0% |
| 1989 | 9.24 terawatt-hours | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 8.93 terawatt-hours | -3.4% |
| 1991 | -2.05 terawatt-hours | -122.9% |
| 1992 | 6.61 terawatt-hours | -422.8% |
| 1993 | 26.14 terawatt-hours | +295.5% |
| 1994 | 56.65 terawatt-hours | +116.7% |
| 1995 | 25.3 terawatt-hours | -55.3% |
| 1996 | -3.06 terawatt-hours | -112.1% |
| 1997 | 11.96 terawatt-hours | -490.3% |
| 1998 | 1.37 terawatt-hours | -88.5% |
| 1999 | 0.5051 terawatt-hours | -63.2% |
| 2000 | 31.42 terawatt-hours | +6120.6% |
| 2001 | 57.44 terawatt-hours | +82.8% |
| 2002 | 35.56 terawatt-hours | -38.1% |
| 2003 | 54.07 terawatt-hours | +52.0% |
| 2004 | 92.97 terawatt-hours | +71.9% |
| 2005 | 63 terawatt-hours | -32.2% |
| 2006 | 55.12 terawatt-hours | -12.5% |
| 2007 | 82.83 terawatt-hours | +50.3% |
| 2008 | 198.53 terawatt-hours | +139.7% |
| 2009 | 18.27 terawatt-hours | -90.8% |
| 2010 | 122.93 terawatt-hours | +572.7% |
| 2011 | 50.44 terawatt-hours | -59.0% |
| 2012 | 251.06 terawatt-hours | +397.8% |
| 2013 | 150.09 terawatt-hours | -40.2% |
| 2014 | 270.41 terawatt-hours | +80.2% |
| 2015 | 220.43 terawatt-hours | -18.5% |
| 2016 | 272.65 terawatt-hours | +23.7% |
| 2017 | 261.03 terawatt-hours | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 329.46 terawatt-hours | +26.2% |
| 2019 | 362.04 terawatt-hours | +9.9% |
| 2020 | 231.28 terawatt-hours | -36.1% |
| 2021 | 398.44 terawatt-hours | +72.3% |
| 2022 | 260.09 terawatt-hours | -34.7% |
| 2023 | 291.72 terawatt-hours | +12.2% |
| 2024 | 566.53 terawatt-hours | +94.2% |
| 2025 | 632.58 terawatt-hours | +11.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 632.58 terawatt-hours is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.77 terawatt-hours, 357.3× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- China's 632.58 terawatt-hours is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.77 terawatt-hours, 357.3× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +6120.6% | 0.5051 terawatt-hours | 31.42 terawatt-hours |
| 1985 | +1301.1% | 0.3978 terawatt-hours | 5.57 terawatt-hours |
| 1967 | -897.7% | 0.3889 terawatt-hours | -3.1 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.2906 terawatt-hours | -3.1 terawatt-hours | 3.49 terawatt-hours | 4 |
| 1970s | 2.53 terawatt-hours | -2.91 terawatt-hours | 5.33 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.99 terawatt-hours | 0.3978 terawatt-hours | 12 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.24 terawatt-hours | -3.06 terawatt-hours | 56.65 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 68.92 terawatt-hours | 18.27 terawatt-hours | 198.53 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 229.05 terawatt-hours | 50.44 terawatt-hours | 362.04 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 396.77 terawatt-hours | 231.28 terawatt-hours | 632.58 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More climate change data for China
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 31.25 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 604,831 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 191,478 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 413,353 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 722.56 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 14,763 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 342,069 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 200,605 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 141,464 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 757 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. low-carbon energy in China?
- Year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. low-carbon energy in China was 632.58 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. low-carbon energy recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 632.58 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. low-carbon energy recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.1 terawatt-hours in 1967.
- How does China rank for year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. low-carbon energy?
- China ranks 1st out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. low-carbon energy rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 187.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Year-to-year change in primary energy from fossil fuels vs. low-carbon energy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Change in total energy supply relative to the previous year, measured in terawatt-hours.