China's clean energy sector contributed 37 percent of GDP growth in 2025, adding 15.4 trillion yuan ($2.1 trillion) to the economy—a figure equivalent to 11.4 percent of total GDP and roughly the size of Brazil's entire economy.

The Carbon Brief analysis reveals what should alarm U.S. policymakers: While America debates climate policy, China already profits from it. Clean energy sectors aren't an ideological commitment—they're an economic growth engine expanding at 18 percent annually.

Electric vehicles and batteries dominate, representing 44 percent of clean-energy value. Solar power accounts for 19 percent, wind, hydropower, and nuclear contribute 15 percent, and rail transportation adds another 12 percent. These aren't subsidized experiments—they're mature industries generating real revenue and employment.

Here's the number that matters: Without clean energy, China would have achieved only 3.5 percent GDP growth instead of the reported 5 percent, missing its stated target. Clean energy isn't peripheral to China's economy—it's central to maintaining growth momentum as traditional sectors slow.

The production numbers are staggering: EV production rose 29 percent year-over-year. Battery manufacturing investment rebounded 35 percent. Solar capacity investment grew 15 percent. China installed more solar and wind capacity than the rest of the world combined in 2025.

Cui bono? Chinese manufacturers who dominate global supply chains for solar panels, batteries, and EVs. They've achieved economies of scale that make competing on price nearly impossible for Western manufacturers—which is why Europe and the United States are imposing tariffs rather than competing directly.

The competitive implications for U.S. industry are severe. America debated the Inflation Reduction Act's climate provisions while China built an industrial ecosystem that now exports clean energy products globally. Chinese companies aren't just meeting domestic demand—they're flooding international markets with low-cost solar panels, batteries, and EVs that undercut competitors.

The analysis notes potential overcapacity challenges and trade tensions from export pressures—corporate speak for: China built so much capacity that it needs to dump excess production abroad, which threatens manufacturers in every other country.

Here's the strategic reality: Clean energy manufacturing requires massive scale, integrated supply chains, and years of investment to achieve cost competitiveness. China made those investments a decade ago. The U.S. and Europe are now playing catch-up in industries where China already dominates.

The numbers don't lie: Clean energy drove more than one-third of China's GDP growth while creating industries that rank eighth globally in economic output. That's not climate policy—that's industrial strategy. And while Washington argues about subsidies, Beijing counts revenue.