China gained offshore wind experience faster than any other market globally – especially during 2021, when China overtook the UK as world leader in offshore wind after adding 17 GW of capacity in just one year.

Now, China has a 1 GW floating offshore wind project planned by 2027. This project could be first floating wind farm of this scale to be installed globally.

Will China leapfrog on floating wind, like it has done for fixed-bottom offshore wind?

Short lead times could propel fast floating wind build-out in China

Two floating demonstration projects have already been launched in China, and several additional floating demos and commercial-scale projects are planned.

The first phase of the planned 1 GW floating project near Wanning in the Hainan province recently passed the feasibility study, which makes it increasingly likely that China will host the world’s first 1 GW floating project.

As Chinese projects are announced with very short lead times, more floating wind projects with expected CODs before 2030 may be announced in the coming years. Thereby, China could overtake Europe when it comes to the commercialization of particularly shallow floating wind – as Chinese floating wind projects are generally located in relatively shallow waters maximum 100 m deep.