China started construction on 94.5 gigawatts of coal-fired power in 2024, the highest volume of new builds since 2015, hampering the country's transition away from fossil fuels, researchers said in a report published on Thursday.

China’s power industry began construction on nearly 100 gigawatts of new coal plant capacity last year, the most in nearly a decade, a report from two clean-energy groups said Thursday. The development raises concerns about the ability of the world's largest carbon dioxide emitter to meet its climate goals and threatens to undercut

China approved a record 66.7 GW of new coal-fired power capacity in 2024, despite significant growth in renewable energy installations, highlighting the ongoing challenge of transitioning away from coal.

The rise comes despite a pledge by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2021 to "strictly control" coal power projects and increases in coal consumption before "phasing it down" between 2026 and 2030. Coal production has risen steadily in recent years, from 3.9 billion tons in 2020 to 4.8 billion tons in 2024.