China is set to double its cumulative offshore wind capacity to over 100 gigawatts by 2030 during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), pivoting aggressively toward deep-sea development and multi-industry integration to consolidate its position as the undisputed global leader in renewable energy.
This ambitious roadmap marks a crucial transition for the nation's clean energy sector, shifting from nearshore projects to large-scale, deep-water mega-bases. Liang Changxin, a senior official with the National Energy Administration, noted that amid global geopolitical turbulence and shifting energy markets, offshore wind has become a shared international consensus for securing low-carbon transitions.
"China has already transformed from a follower to a global pacesetter," said Liang during a recently held forum in Jiangsu province.
By the end of September 2026, the country's cumulative grid-connected offshore wind capacity exceeded 49.84 million kilowatts, Liang said. For five consecutive years, China has ranked first globally in both newly added and cumulative capacity, accounting for more than half of the world's total.
Generating over 100 billion kilowatt-hours annually, these coastal wind farms have become a vital green power lifeline for China's coastal provinces, he said.
According to Liang, the economic ripple effects are equally immense. The offshore wind industry boasts a long supply chain and high added value, continuously driving related sectors such as steel, machinery, marine engineering, and shipbuilding.
Currently, nearly 20 large-scale offshore wind industrial clusters line China's coastal provinces, generating a total output value hovering at the 1-trillion-yuan ($149 billion) level.
Technological milestones have powerfully underpinned this rapid expansion. China recently completed the installation of a 16-megawatt floating offshore wind platform — the largest single-unit capacity in the world — and operationalized a flexible direct current transmission project boasting the world's highest voltage and largest transmission capacity. Furthermore, Asia's first flexible DC offshore wind project has generated over 10 billion kWh.
Major State-owned enterprises are spearheading this deep-sea march. China Three Gorges Corp has successfully completed eight million-kW-level offshore wind bases, becoming the country's first enterprise to surpass 10 million kW in offshore wind capacity and leading globally for five consecutive years.
"As China accelerates the construction of a new power system, the new energy industry is in a period of deep adjustment," said Liu Weiping, chairman of CTG.
"Pushing into the deep and distant sea will expand new space and provide new opportunities for the industry's development," he said.
However, Liu cautioned that the sector faces multifaceted risks, including complex sea conditions, frequent extreme weather, rising construction costs, and compounding technical hurdles.
"We are willing to take this opportunity to join hands with upstream and downstream partners in the industrial chain to jointly create a new future for the industry," Liu said.
He urged the sector to scale technological peaks in deep-sea mega-turbines, floating foundations, core chips, and smart software to accelerate the cultivation of new quality productive forces.
To navigate these waters, Liang emphasized the urgent need to forge a highly resilient modern supply chain, targeting specific breakthroughs in large-power main bearings, gearboxes, and high-strength anti-corrosive carbon fiber materials.
