Misato NotoSupported by economic policy and technological advancement, China now has a leading position in wind energy. As of 2019, China’s wind energy generation exceeded 221 gigawatts. This accounts for more than a third of the world’s wind energy capacity.
China is currently focused on promoting offshore wind installation rather than the kind of onshore farms that can be found in the northern part of the country. Despite the abundant desert wind, the northern farms experienced low demand in their neighboring rural communities. Instead of transporting this electricity to consumers in more power-hungry regions, China transitioned to offshore farms on the east coast. The country finds greater demand for power there due to its dense population and bustling economic activity.
In 2014, the Chinese government set feed-in tariffs to promote the installation of offshore wind turbines. Combined with the technical innovation of developing typhoon-proof turbines that can withstand high speeds of wind, China was able to gear up manufacturing. While the peak of installation has come to an end due to a new pricing policy, more policy coordination and technological advancements are expected given China’s 2060 carbon neutrality goal.
