China’s solar and onshore wind capacity reaches new heights, while offshore wind shows promise

China is advancing a 1.3 TW pipeline of utility-scale solar and wind projects, with operating capacity reaching 1.4 TW by 2025. While solar and onshore wind are expanding rapidly, particularly in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, offshore wind has emerged as a global powerhouse, accounting for 50% of global capacity. However, the offshore sector faces challenges from the 2021 phaseout of national subsidies and competition from planned coal and gas capacity in coastal provinces. The document argues for a transition from provincial development to a coordinated national policy framework incorporating hybrid auction mechanisms and robust spatial planning.

• China is developing a pipeline of utility-scale solar and wind capacity totaling over 1.3 TW, of which 510 GW is currently under construction.
• In the first quarter of 2025, China's combined wind and solar capacity exceeded its thermal power capacity for the first time, providing nearly 23% of the country's total electricity consumption.
• China's operating solar and wind capacity has reached 1.4 TW, representing 44% of the world's operating utility-scale capacity for these technologies.
• China has become a global leader in offshore wind, with capacity growing from under 5 GW in 2018 to 42.7 GW by March 2025, representing 50% of global capacity.
• Despite the growth of offshore wind, coastal provinces continue to plan fossil fuel expansions; for example, Guangdong province plans to commission 13.5 GW of gas and 23 GW of coal capacity by 2027.
• The offshore wind sector experienced a significant drop in installations after the 2021 phaseout of national feed-in tariffs (FiTs), with additions falling from a record 16.6 GW in 2021 to approximately 6.5 GW in 2022.
• China is advancing deepwater and floating wind technology, with nearly 40 MW operational across five pilot projects as of Q1 2025 and the first phase of the 1,000 MW Hainan Wanning floating farm expected by the end of 2025.

APA

Global Energy Monitor (2025). China’s solar and onshore wind capacity reaches new heights, while offshore wind shows promise. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-China-wind-solar-brief-July-2025_7.pdf

Chicago

Global Energy Monitor. China’s solar and onshore wind capacity reaches new heights, while offshore wind shows promise. 2025. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-China-wind-solar-brief-July-2025_7.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Energy Monitor |title=China’s solar and onshore wind capacity reaches new heights, while offshore wind shows promise |date=July 2025 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-China-wind-solar-brief-July-2025_7.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalenergymonitor2025chinas, author = {{Global Energy Monitor}}, title = {{China’s solar and onshore wind capacity reaches new heights, while offshore wind shows promise}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2025}, month = jul, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-China-wind-solar-brief-July-2025_7.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }