Offshore Wind Needs More Government Support to Unleash Its Potential, Report Says
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Offshore wind power isn’t living up to its potential to decarbonize China’s coastal manufacturing heartland, a new report argues.
In 2024, China added 4.4 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity, accounting for nearly 55% of all global additions that year, the Global Energy Monitor (GEM) said in a report published Wednesday. Over the past five years, China’s offshore wind capacity has grown at a compound annual rate of 41% — double the global average.
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- China added 4.4 GW of offshore wind in 2024, accounting for 55% of global additions, but growth has slowed to 12% year-on-year due to the end of national subsidies and high costs.
- Offshore wind is only 9% of China's total wind capacity; large fossil fuel projects continue alongside renewables, with Guangdong and Jiangsu leading both electricity consumption and offshore wind development.
- The report urges a coordinated national strategy, including cost-sharing and unified planning, to fully realize offshore wind’s potential.
AI generated, for reference only
Who’s Who
- China Southern Power Grid Co. Ltd
- China Southern Power Grid Co. Ltd. is mentioned as having reported that Guangdong province's electricity consumption reached 912.1 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) last year, marking a 7.3% year-on-year increase. This information is provided within the context of China's rising energy consumption and the parallel construction of renewable and fossil-fuel capacity.
- State Grid Corp. of China
- State Grid Corp. of China is mentioned in the article as reporting that Jiangsu province's energy consumption increased by 8.4% in 2024. Jiangsu is a major manufacturing hub and significant builder of offshore wind capacity in China.
AI generated, for reference only
What Happened When
- 2019-2024：
- China’s offshore wind capacity grew at a compound annual rate of 41%.
- 2021：
- China’s central government phased out national subsidies for offshore wind power.
- 2021：
- Surge in offshore wind installations in China to meet the subsidy deadline.
- 2021：
- China’s year-on-year growth rate of cumulative offshore wind installed capacity peaked at 206%.
- 2021-2025：
- Coastal provinces set a combined offshore wind target of 52 GW.
- After 2021：
- Number of new offshore wind projects in China slowed following subsidy phase-out.
- 2022-2024：
- Noticeable decline in growth rate of China’s offshore wind power capacity.
- 2024：
- China added 4.4 GW of offshore wind capacity (nearly 55% of global additions).
- February 2024：
- China reached 41 GW of offshore wind capacity, out of the 52 GW target for 2021-2025.
- As of February 2024：
- China had 67 GW of offshore wind projects in the pipeline, with 41% under construction.
- 2024：
- China’s year-on-year growth rate of cumulative offshore wind installed capacity decreased to 12%.
- 2024：
- Guangdong led China in electricity consumption at 912.1 billion kWh, up 7.3% year-on-year.
- 2024：
- Jiangsu province’s energy consumption rose 8.4%.
AI generated, for reference only
- CX Weekly Magazine
Jul. 11, 2025, Issue 26
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