China’s exports of clean-energy technologies helped avoid an estimated 374 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions last year, exceeding Britain’s annual emissions, according to new analysis cited by Reuters.
The estimate covers Chinese exports of solar panels, batteries, wind turbines and electric vehicles. Solar panels accounted for the largest share of the avoided emissions, with almost one-third linked to solar equipment exported to South Asia. Pakistan, in particular, has experienced a rapid expansion in solar power.
The analysis by Lauri Myllyvirta of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air estimates that technologies exported by China in 2025 could avoid about 6.9 billion metric tons of CO2 over their operating lifetimes, a 31% increase from the previous year.
China remains the world’s largest carbon emitter while also being the leading producer and exporter of many technologies used in the global shift away from fossil fuels. Falling production costs for Chinese solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles have helped accelerate adoption, particularly in developing economies.
Chinese clean-technology exports were worth about $194 billion in 2025, according to customs data, with shipments reaching $128 billion in the first six months of 2026.
Despite the growing impact, the estimated avoided emissions remain small compared with global emissions, which were about 39 billion tons in 2024.
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