China’s power consumption to breach 13,000 TWh in 2030

The continued growth will be fuelled by rapid industrialisation.

China’s power consumption is projected to reach 13,757 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3% from 2024 to 2030.

According to GlobalData’s “China Power Market Outlook to 2035, Update 2025 – Market Trends, Regulations, and Competitive Landscape,” the East Asian superpower’s “electricity consumption continues to outpace its gross domestic product (GDP) growth, driven by a shift toward energy-intensive industries and the rapid electrification of transportation and digital infrastructure.”

“The robust increase in electricity demand is progressively supported by clean energy,” it added.

GlobalData expects China’s real GDP to increase from $2.02t in 2024 to $2.32t in 2030, driving the electricity demand.

Attaurrahman Ojindaram Saibasan, senior power analyst at GlobalData, said that China’s hydropower and renewable energy sources generation has resulted in excess production capacity at numerous coal-fired power plants. Meanwhile, the country has also imposed a moratorium on the construction of new coal-based facilities in the key economic regions.

“As China pivots from heavy industries to service and high-tech sectors, and increasingly emphasises sustainable development, the demand for coal is anticipated to decline further. Nonetheless, coal is projected to remain the predominant source of power generation throughout the forecast period,” the expert said.