Offshore wind turbines in China. (PHOTO: VCG)

Edited by QI Liming

Wind turbines have, for many decades, labored to harness one of the mightiest forces in nature.

The power generators also have the added pressure of an industry falling short of what's needed in order to limit climate change, despite record offshore wind installations in 2021, according to a new report from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

Offshore wind power generation soars

The GWEC said that floating wind is "one of the key game-changers" in the industry. 21.1 GW of offshore wind generation was commissioned in 2021, roughly equivalent to 21 nuclear reactors.

The size of the expansion alone accounts for about 40 percent of the total of 57.17 GW of offshore wind power to date.

According to Nikkei Asia, new offshore wind power capacity tripled worldwide last year, driven by China in a buildup that is transforming the industry.

China is responsible for the bulk of this growth. The country commissioned 16.9 GW of offshore wind capacity last year, or 80 percent of the total, more than quadruple the volume in 2020.

In comparison, Europe added 3.31 GW in 2021, a modest 13 percent gain that was overshadowed by Chinese investment.

As The Eurasian Times reported, China surpassed all of Europe in 2021 to take pole position in the offshore wind power race.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), China will boost its renewable electricity capacity by almost 800 GW (an increase of 85 percent) between 2021 and 2026, accounting for approximately 43 percent of total worldwide renewable energy capacity growth during that period.

A new record of offshore wind-turbine installations

China is leading the race for offshore wind, setting a new record year for turbine installations in 2021, according to the World Forum Offshore Wind (WFO)'s annual report.

The report shows that significant investments, driven by a global shift towards renewables, result in an additional 15.7 GW of installed offshore wind capacity worldwide. China accounted for over two-thirds of the new capacity. The country added 12.7 GW to its national grid, increasing its total installed offshore wind capacity to 19.7 GW.

With such local success, Chinese wind turbine producers have garnered worldwide clout. According to data from BloombergNEF, "They captured first through fourth place in offshore wind turbine capacity last year."

Promising future market

The worldwide offshore wind market is expected to increase rapidly this year. According to the GWEC, 5.9 GW of new offshore wind farms will be completed in China and the rest of Asia in 2022, while Europe will establish 2.8 GW of new offshore wind farms.

The WFO's annual report shows that China's offshore wind sector continues to grow rapidly with a total capacity of eight GW currently under construction. The offshore wind farms under construction worldwide have a combined capacity of 17 GW.

"China is now the world's largest offshore wind market by far, with almost as much installed capacity as the UK and Germany combined," reported WFO.

China continues to be the engine of global growth. Chinese manufacturers can gain a cost edge since they can locally get most of the raw materials, while European turbines are getting more expensive due to rising commodity prices.