China’s clean energy boom powers 90% of investment growth, rivaling world’s largest economies

China’s clean energy sector has emerged as an economic powerhouse, driving more than 90% of the country’s investment growth last year and establishing itself as larger than all but seven national economies worldwide, according to new analysis from Carbon Brief.

The remarkable growth encompasses the manufacturing, installation, and export of batteries, electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines, and related green technologies. For the second time in just three years, these clean energy industries accounted for more than one-third of China’s total economic growth, underscoring the nation’s rapid transformation into a global renewable energy leader.

This surge represents a fundamental shift in China’s economic landscape, with green energy investments becoming a primary engine of national growth rather than a supplementary sector. The scale of this transition is staggering—if China’s clean energy industry were its own country, it would rank among the world’s eight largest economies by size.

The data highlights China’s dominant position in the global clean energy supply chain, from raw material processing to finished product manufacturing and export. This growth trajectory not only reinforces China’s role as the world’s largest manufacturer of renewable energy technologies but also demonstrates how environmental priorities can align with substantial economic expansion. The continued momentum suggests that clean energy will remain central to China’s economic strategy as the world transitions toward more sustainable energy systems.