China's coal-fired power generation fell to 49.7 percent of total electricity output in the first half of 2026, the first time it has dropped below half. The shift is part of a broader global move, with renewable power generation at 33.8 percent of the world total, edging out coal at 33.0 percent for the first time in a century, according to the Global Energy Transition Report (2026). China's energy and industry emissions fell 3.1 percent year on year in Q3 2026, the largest quarterly drop since the pandemic, per CREA. Global energy investment is set to hit $3.4 trillion in 2026, with around $2.2 trillion going to grids, storage, renewables, and efficiency. China remains the largest energy investor at $940 billion.
