China solar capacity overtakes coal for first time

China's installed solar power capacity surpassed coal-fired power capacity for the first time by the end of July, the National Energy Administration said Tuesday.

The NEA said solar capacity reached 1.286 billion kilowatts by the end of July 2026, just above coal-fired power capacity of 1.285 billion kilowatts. It said photovoltaic capacity had become China's largest power source category.

The agency also said solar generation rose 15.5% year on year in the first seven months of 2026 to 802.4 billion kilowatt-hours, about one-eighth of China's total power generation. The NEA statements did not give total coal-fired power generation for the same period.

The agency said China's installed solar capacity and solar power generation had continued to grow rapidly and were playing an increasing role in electricity supply and the country's energy transition.

China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases and has pledged to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Coal has been a key source of Chinese power generation for decades.

AFP-reviewed data showed in February that China's coal-fired power generation fell by nearly 2% in 2025 despite rising energy demand. The China Electricity Council said China installed a record 315 gigawatts of solar power and 119 gigawatts of wind power capacity last year, accounting for more than 80% of newly installed power generation capacity.