China’s offshore wind industry is increasingly focusing on deep-sea offshore wind and floating wind farms
Jul 15, 2022by David Foxwell
Clarksons Research analysis suggests China’s offshore wind capacity will double by the end of 2025 and could reach a whopping 54 GW
Clarksons Research Managing Director Steve Gordon said: “China has rapidly become a major offshore wind market over the past decade, overtaking the UK in 2021 as the world’s largest producer of offshore wind electricity. , with 45% of global capacity and 24 GW from June 2022.
“Our projections suggest that by the middle of the decade, China’s offshore wind capacity will more than double to 54 GW. The Chinese policy target is 60 GW.
“Offshore wind capacity installed offshore China is expected to grow by 12% in H2 2022, moderate growth after record start-ups in 2021 and the end of central government subsidies. An extraordinary 16.6 GW was purchased online in 2021, the last year of support grants.
“Capacity expansion in China is expected to be supported by Guangdong Province, which is expected to reach 17 GW by the end of 2025, up 209% from the current 5.5 GW, and Jiangsu Province, which is expected to reach 15 GW by the end of 2025, up 27% from 11.8 GW.
Mr Gordon said China’s 14th Five-Year Plan continued to support offshore wind. It includes continued, moderate grants and policy support at the provincial level for identified clusters and floating/deepwater wind projects and broader government targets on peak CO2 net zero emissions and global renewable energy targets.
Chinese turbine manufacturers continue to dominate the domestic market, accounting for >99% of active offshore wind capacity in the country’s waters. However, Clarksons said Chinese OEMs “face some challenges” in the post-subsidy era as developers strive to reduce project costs and prices for raw materials, such as steel, rise. increase considerably.
He noted that investment in China’s offshore wind supply chain has strengthened recently, with many supply chain clusters now being built or expanded in coastal provinces.
“These manufacturing facilities can supply equipment and components for offshore wind farms, including blades, generators, towers, foundations and cables,” Clarksons said. “Notably, the Dongying Industrial Park and associated port infrastructure is expanding to multi-GW turbine manufacturing capacity, as well as two dedicated wind berths at the port.
