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Thermal Power Generation in China Industry Data and Analysis
Over the five years to 2024, industry revenue has fluctuated but performed solidly, rising at an annualized 6.4%. Strong growth of renewable energy – like wind power and solar power – has afflicted thermal power generation. In 2021, revenue from the Thermal Power Generation industry in China increased by 14.4% due to the rising thermal power output and the increasing on-grid price of coal-fired electricity. In 2024, industry revenue is estimated at $340.1 billion, up 5.8% from 2023. The industry suffered losses in 2021 and 2022, due to the sharp rise of coal prices. Profit margins have recovered to 1.5% of industry revenue in 2024.Thermal power generation accounted for 65.9% of the country's total electricity generation in 2023, down from 79.2% in 2010 and 73.7% in 2015. The drop-off in thermal power generation is due to higher levels of output from the Hydroelectric Power industry (IBISWorld industry report 4412) and the Wind Power industry (IBISWorld industry report 4419a) as well as the tighter energy-saving and emission-reduction regulations. The industry is expected to generate 6.6 trillion kilowatt-hours in 2024.Over the next five years, the Chinese Government will continue to limit the proportion of thermal power generation, as it is considered highly polluting. The 14th five-year plan for the development of renewable energy industry in China was released in 2021, and will also have an impact on the industry's development over the next five years. The Government is aiming for 33.0% of the nation's total electricity generation volume to come from renewable sources by 2025, up from 28.8% in 2020. As a result, industry revenue growth will be lower than previous years, rising at an annualized 3.8% over the next five years, to $409.2 billion in 2029.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Thermal Power Generation industry in China includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released April 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Thermal Power Generation industry in China operates under the industry code 4411. The Thermal Power Generation industry in China operates thermal power generation facilities that convert fossil fuels – like coal, oil and natural gas – into electrical energy. The establishments in this industry then provide electricity to transmission systems or to electric power distribution systems. Related terms covered in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China include thermal power, hydroelectric power, electricity transmission and electricity distribution.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Thermal Power Generation industry in China include Coal-fired electricity, Oil-fired electricity and Natural gas-fired electricity .
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China include China Energy Investment Corporation, China Huaneng Group Co., Ltd. and China Huadian Corporation.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Thermal Power Generation industry in China.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Thermal Power Generation industry in China.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Thermal Power Generation industry in China.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Thermal Power Generation industry in China in 2026?
The market size of the Thermal Power Generation industry in China is $340.1bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China in 2025?
There are 1,197 businesses in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China, which has declined at a CAGR of 3.0 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Thermal Power Generation industry in China?
The Thermal Power Generation industry in China is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Thermal Power Generation industry in China?
The Thermal Power Generation industry in China is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Thermal Power Generation industry in China grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Thermal Power Generation industry in China has been growing at a CAGR of 6.4 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Thermal Power Generation industry in China over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Thermal Power Generation industry in China is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China?
The biggest companies operating in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China are China Energy Investment Corporation, China Huaneng Group Co., Ltd. and China Huadian Corporation
What does the Thermal Power Generation industry in China include?
Coal-fired electricity and Oil-fired electricity are part of the Thermal Power Generation industry in China.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China?
The company holding the most market share in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China is China Energy Investment Corporation.
How competitive is the Thermal Power Generation industry in China?
The level of competition is low and increasing in the Thermal Power Generation industry in China.
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