Nation to beef up offshore wind power

China is speeding up efforts to build a complete offshore wind power industry chain that will eventually benefit all players involved, said industry experts.

This is being done by advancing innovation and collaboration among enterprises to enhance joint competitiveness, drive technological breakthroughs and create a robust ecosystem.

"Offshore wind power represents a new frontier in global competition for advanced electricity technologies. Its development is integral to a country's maritime prowess and economic performance," said Shu Yinbiao, president of the Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering and an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Shu emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts among enterprises in the sector.

"Companies along the industry chain should strengthen coordination, leverage complementary advantages and pursue mutually beneficial cooperation," Shu said during the 2024 Offshore Wind Power Modern Industry Chain Integration Conference in Beihai, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on Saturday, adding that it is important to establish an offshore wind power industry alliance, focusing on enhancing the industry's foundational strength, addressing technical gaps, and optimizing the industrial structure.

Themed "Innovation and integration: Driving high-quality development of China's offshore wind power industry chain", the conference aimed to strengthen collaboration between industry leaders and businesses of all sizes along the chain and enhance competitiveness and resilience of the overall offshore wind power industry.

During the conference, a total of 34 companies, including China Three Gorges Renewables (Group) Co Ltd, Goldwind and Ningbo Orient Group signed agreements to collaborate on advancing the completion of the offshore wind power industry chain.

"Experience has proved that integrating the industry chain is not only a valuable lesson from our past successes, but also the pathway to a brighter future," said Liu Weiping, board chairman of China Three Gorges Corp, co-organizer of the conference.

The group said it will continue to boost industrial leadership through large-scale development, enhance innovation through technological breakthroughs, and strengthen synergy through integrated development. It will also work closely with upstream and downstream enterprises to establish new mechanisms, build solid foundations, and create a thriving ecosystem for shared growth and innovation, Liu said.

The country's offshore wind power industry chain has seen remarkable progress during recent years.

According to data from the National Energy Administration, China's cumulative installed offshore wind power capacity surged from less than 5 million kilowatts in 2018 to 37.7 million kW in 2023, accounting for about half of the global total.

"The rapid development of offshore wind power is a vital step in building a new energy system, fostering integration along the industry chain, and transitioning to a cleaner energy structure. It also plays a pivotal role in securing energy independence and safety," said Zhuang Shuxin, secretary-general of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council.

Zhuang said that Guangxi boasts unique geographical advantages and significant potential for developing integrated energy and marine economies, and SASAC encourages State-owned enterprises to collaborate with local governments and businesses to expand the clean energy sector and strengthen development of the marine economy.

"By cultivating emerging industries such as renewable energy, electronic information, new materials and equipment manufacturing, we aim to attract upstream and downstream enterprises to cluster in Guangxi and engage with ASEAN markets," said Liu Ning, Party secretary of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

In this regard, China Three Gorges Corp also said it will keep investing in and developing high-quality offshore wind power projects in Guangxi. "By activating its 'blue economy' potential, we hope to position Guangxi as a hub for offshore wind power investments and innovation, not only within China, but also for ASEAN markets," Liu said.