China's power grid is growing faster than the US and EU combined — a UN report shows why

China now has more electricity generation capacity than the United States, the European Union, India, Japan, and Russia put together. That’s not a projection — it’s the country’s current installed capacity of over 4 billion kilowatts, according to data presented alongside a new United Nations report.

The number matters because it’s not just about scale. A report released this week at the UN’s High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York shows China also leads the world in power technology innovation, ranking first globally in that category.

The report — the Global Power Development Index (2026) — evaluates 100 countries across four dimensions: supply security, consumption services, low-carbon transition, and technology innovation. Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, China, and Norway round out the top five overall. But China’s No. 1 ranking in technology innovation stands out, driven by the country’s installed base of clean energy — the largest in the world — and its widespread adoption of AI and digital systems across the grid.

Globally, renewable energy is accelerating fast. The report found that total new energy installed capacity worldwide exceeded 3.95 billion kilowatts in 2025, accounting for nearly 40% of all power generation capacity. Technologies like artificial intelligence, digital twins, and virtual power plants are moving from pilot programs into large-scale deployment.

China’s growth numbers underline the shift. Between 2010 and 2025, the country’s generation capacity grew at an average annual rate of 9.7%. The US grew at 1.7% over the same period. The EU managed 3.2%. Even India, with its own aggressive buildout, grew at 7.1%. Japan and Russia trailed at 2.9% and 1.2%, respectively.

The organization behind the report, the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization, was initiated by China and now counts 1,450 members across 145 countries. It’s the first international energy organization founded by the country.

Looking ahead, China’s power sector shows no signs of slowing. The report projects installed capacity will reach 5.4 billion kilowatts by 2030, with new energy sources making up more than half of that total. Non-fossil fuel generation is expected to account for 50% of electricity output by then, while coal and oil consumption are forecast to peak.