China energy investment to hit $940 billion in 2026 as grid spending rises

econews. The forecast comes from the Global Energy Transition Report 2026, released by the China Enterprise Reform and Development Society and reported by state broadcaster CCTV on Sunday.

China’s renewable energy expansion has created growing demand for transmission networks and supporting infrastructure capable of handling electricity generated from wind, solar and other renewable sources.

The International Energy Agency expects Chinese investment in power grids to reach approximately $140 billion this year, reflecting a shift from building generation capacity toward integrating existing and newly installed facilities.

At the end of 2025, China’s installed renewable power capacity reached 2.337 billion kilowatts, representing 60.1% of the country’s total installed electricity generation capacity.

The country also accounted for 63.6% of newly installed renewable capacity worldwide, highlighting its dominant position in global renewable energy development.

Renewable electricity generation totaled 3.99 trillion kilowatt-hours, equivalent to 38.3% of China’s electricity output. Growth in renewable generation was sufficient to cover the entire increase in national electricity consumption.

The expansion has also reduced coal’s contribution to the country’s power supply. Coal-fired generation accounted for 49.7% of electricity output in the first half of 2026, falling below 50% for the first time.