China continues to add solar and wind power at record pace, while the emergence of offshore wind presents an opportunity to cut fossil fuel emissions along its populous and industrial coastline, according to a new report from Global Energy Monitor (GEM).
Data in the Global Solar and Wind Power Trackers show that China is currently building 510 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale solar and wind capacity, an increase of 57% over the previous year and an impressive three-quarters of all such capacity under construction globally.
In total, China has 1.3 terawatts of utility-scale solar and wind capacity in development, which could generate more electricity than neighbouring Japan consumed in all of 2023.
The country has also solidified its undisputed leadership in the offshore wind sector. Though offshore wind represents only a fraction of China’s total wind power capacity at 9%, it is gaining traction as coastal provinces pursue ambitious decarbonization targets.
China’s coast hosts many of its major megacities and industrial hubs, and while they contribute roughly a quarter and a third of the nation’s solar and wind capacity, respectively, they consume about half of the country’s electricity.
In 2024, China added 4.4 GW of offshore wind capacity, accounting for over half of all additions globally that year. As of February 2025, China had 67 GW of offshore wind projects in the development pipeline, of which 28 GW is under construction — a stark comparison to the global average outside of China at just 2% under construction.
If China continues to grow its offshore wind capacity, the technology could help displace coal and cut carbon emissions. Guangdong province's 11.4 GW offshore wind fleet has the potential to avoid roughly 23 million tonnes of CO₂ each year if fully operational — equivalent to burning 8.7 million tonnes of standard coal.
Guangdong is not the only coastal province with offshore wind development running in parallel with its fossil fuel capacity. While offshore wind’s capacity to deliver stable electricity makes it particularly well-suited for decarbonizing China’s heavy industries — such as steel and petrochemical manufacturing concentrated along the east coast Bohai Rim, Yangtze River Delta, and Pearl River Delta — it continues to face challenges as coal and gas are still on the rise across China.
Mengqi Zhang, researcher at Global Energy Monitor, said, “China has long been head and shoulders above the rest in building wind and solar, so it’s not surprising to see the uptick in offshore capacity. What is really impressive is just how much potential there is to displace emissions from fossil fuels and drive a clean energy transition along the coast’s industrial heartland.”
