Updated · Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air · Jun 18
China’s Fossil Power Rebounds 2% in May as 10-Year Weak Wind Lifts Coal Generation
Updated
Updated · Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air · Jun 18
China’s Fossil Power Rebounds 2% in May as 10-Year Weak Wind Lifts Coal Generation
3 articles · Updated · Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air · Jun 18
Summary
China’s fossil power generation rose 2% year on year in May, with coal-fired output up 3.3% for a fifth straight monthly increase after a 2025 decline.
Wind generation fell 1.1% as March-to-May wind speeds hit their weakest levels in more than 10 years, limiting clean-power growth that otherwise likely would have displaced coal and gas.
Energy supply strains deepened elsewhere: crude oil imports plunged 29%, coal imports fell 7.7%, gas output slipped 2.2% for its first monthly drop since 2017, and refinery throughput hit its lowest daily level since 2023.
Industrial demand stayed soft despite a modest rebound in value-added output, with steel, cement and chemical fibre production still falling, while non-ferrous metals rose 2.2%.
The broader transition picture remained mixed: thermal capacity additions jumped 116% in January-April, even as battery output surged 55.2% and NEVs reached 58% of vehicle production with exports more than doubling.