China targets 100 GW of new offshore wind capacity by 2030

China's offshore wind industry, already the world's largest with 47 GW of grid-connected capacity, is set to more than double under a new five-year plan.

China plans to start construction on 100 million kilowatts of offshore wind capacity during the 2026-2030 period, targeting cumulative installations of at least 100 GW by 2030, the National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration said in the Renewable Energy 15th Five-Year Plan.

"The target reflects the central government's commitment to scaling up clean energy while developing the marine sector as a new engine of economic growth," Yue Qi, director of the institute for marine resources protection and utilization at the National Ocean Technology Center, said.

The plan accelerates nearshore wind farm approvals, pushes provincial governments to revise offshore wind plans, and promotes deep-sea wind farm bases with coordinated grid and submarine cable infrastructure. China already operates more than 200 offshore wind projects with 47 GW of cumulative grid-connected capacity — roughly half the global total and the world's largest for five consecutive years, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The policy is a significant catalyst for Chinese wind turbine manufacturers including Ming Yang Smart Energy, Goldwind Science & Technology, and Envision Energy, as well as offshore engineering firms and submarine cable suppliers. China's turbine technology has advanced from 5 MW units reliant on imported components in 2017 to the world's largest 26 MW turbine with 100% domestic production, Chen Qingsen, deputy general manager at Fujian Three Gorges Offshore Wind Power International Industrial Park Operations Co., said.

Deep-Sea Expansion Opens New Frontier

As nearshore waters grow crowded, China's site-selection standards have evolved from the early "double-10" principle — at least 10 meters deep and 10 kilometers offshore — to the current "single-30" standard of at least 30 meters deep or 30 km from shore. The new plan establishes a project library for deep-sea wind farm bases and coordinates sea-use approvals, pushing development into deeper waters where wind speeds are stronger and more consistent.

Fujian province, with average wind speeds exceeding 9 meters per second, has emerged as a hub for offshore renewable energy. The province hosts China's first offshore solar farm in a high-wind-speed zone — a 180,000 kW project on more than 200 hectares of tidal flats that combines solar generation with aquaculture. Solar and wind power are complementary, Chen said, because solar generation peaks during daylight hours while wind often strengthens at night, creating a more stable collective output.

Supply Chain and Economic Implications

The 100 GW target represents a doubling of China's offshore wind fleet within five years, requiring massive investment in turbine production, installation vessels, and submarine cable manufacturing. Short transmission distances along China's eastern seaboard — where most offshore wind is located — avoid the infrastructure costs of long-distance west-to-east power transfer, Yue noted.

China's turbine industrial chain, concentrated in the 67-hectare Fujian Three Gorges Offshore Wind Power International Industrial Park, has launched turbines of 8, 10, 13, 16, 18, 20 and 26 megawatts since 2019, continuously breaking global records. These turbines are accelerating their entry into overseas markets, Chen said, positioning Chinese manufacturers to compete with European rivals such as Vestas and Siemens Gamesa in the global offshore wind market.

Looking ahead, China is exploring undersea data centers directly powered by offshore wind to support artificial intelligence and 5G infrastructure, according to Yue. The plan also incorporates green hydrogen production from renewable energy into the broader energy strategy, with a national target of approximately 2 million metric tons of renewable hydrogen production by 2030.

Ming Yang, Goldwind, and Envision stand to benefit from the domestic order pipeline, while cable suppliers such as Zhongtian Technology and offshore engineering firms face capacity constraints that could drive margin expansion. The policy also supports copper demand for submarine cables and steel for turbine foundations, with potential spillover effects on commodity markets.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.