China's Energy Future Runs on Coal and Solar

China's Energy Future Runs on Coal and Solar By Irina Slav - Jun 30, 2026, 3:00 PM CDT China's latest five-year plan doubles down on an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy, expanding both coal-fired power and renewable energy. China's focus on energy security leads to a wider selection of energy generation technologies. China remains the world's biggest investor in clean energy while also leading coal expansion, accounting for 78% of new global coal power capacity in 2025 and spending more than half of worldwide investment in wind and solar since 2019.