China is adding renewable energy capacity at a breakneck pace. (Reuters)
China installed 268 GW of new solar and wind power in just the first half of 2025, nearly matching all the wind and solar the US has ever built.Â
But here’s the catch: A growing chunk of that clean energy isn’t being used—curtailment rose sharply last year (for example, Tibet had to curtail over 30% of its wind and solar generation in early 2025).
Why? China’s grid buildout is hurrying to catch up with energy demand. But moving power from resource-rich, low-demand regions in the west to energy-hungry eastern cities remains a work in progress.