China’s Weaker Winds Allow Fossil Fuel Power to Make a Comeback

Fossil fuels staged a comeback in China’s power sector last quarter, as weather variations and grid constraints slowed the growth of clean energy.

Thermal power output rose 3.7% over the first three months of 2026 after a 1% decline last year, the first annual drop in a decade. Electricity generation is by far the country’s largest source of greenhouse gases, and the rebound undermines the progress made in reining in emissions ahead of the government’s own targets.