Against the backdrop of China’s high-quality Belt and Road Initiative and its growing emphasis on international green energy cooperation, Chinese overseas renewable energy activity continued to expand strongly in the first quarter of 2026. According to the quarterly update of the Database of Chinese Overseas Renewable Energy Investment (D-CORE,d-core.iigf.com.cn), the number of Chinese overseas renewable energy projects increased from 93 in Q1 2025 to 129 in Q1 2026, representing a 39% year-on-year rise. Total contracted capacity also grew from 27.5 GW to 36.3 GW, up by 32%. This growth reflects both the continued competitiveness of Chinese firms in solar PV, wind power, energy storage, and integrated energy systems, and the rising demand for clean energy infrastructure across the Global South.

This report draws on the D-CORE database, jointly developed by the International Institute of Green Finance (IIGF) at Central University of Finance and Economics and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS). Based on a curated extract of verified project records from January 2025 to March 2026, the report provides a quarterly assessment of Chinese overseas renewable energy project activities in Q1 2026. It examines the latest trends across five dimensions: technological composition, geographic distribution, development stage, financing model, and key Chinese actors involved.