Chinese turbine manufacturers lead in taking products to foreign shores

Chinese wind turbine makers are not only exhibiting their prowess in domestic markets, but are also expanding to foreign ones, as the related technology evolution between China and the rest of the world is diverging quickly, according to a recently released report.

Chinese companies commissioned 1.7 gigawatts of wind projects in 20 overseas markets last year, including five EU member states, almost three times as many markets as in 2018, according to the 2023 Global Wind Turbine Market Shares report from research provider BloombergNEF.

Technological advances that have led to a steep reduction in the price of turbines have offered a chance for Chinese companies to expand their exports, it said.

Chinese turbine manufacturer Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co Ltd had the largest foreign footprint of the Chinese players, with 748 megawatts, followed closely by Envision with 561 mW. The rates of Chinese-made wind turbines delivered outside the country, the world's largest market, are 20 percent lower than those of US and European companies, said the report.

China accounted for two-thirds of global build, while the US was the second-largest market, adding 7.2 gW. European countries added a record 15.3 gW in 2023, up from the 13.2 gW installed in 2022, it said.

According to BloombergNEF, out of the top 10 firms providing turbines worldwide last year, six were Chinese, which commissioned 65.1 gW out of the 118 gW total capacity commissioned in 2023.

"It's no surprise that Chinese turbine makers dominate the top five in our ranking, as buildout of gigawatt-scale wind projects sent installations soaring last year," said Cristian Dinca, wind analyst at BloombergNEF and lead author of the report.

Goldwind maintained its pole position as the world's leading wind turbine supplier, commissioning 16.4 gW of projects last year, 95 percent of which were in its home market. Chinese green technology company Envision Group took second place, adding 15.4 gW.

According to Qin Haiyan, secretary-general of the Chinese Wind Energy Association, supportive industrial policies have played a key role in the rapid development of China's wind energy sector over the past few years, making it the world leader in terms of renewable energy capacity and technical advancement.

Wind power is not only "green", but also cheaper compared with traditional fossil fuels, including coal, which makes it a preferred option, he said.

Qin said the sector will embrace massive development opportunities amid China's commitment to achieving carbon peak before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060.

With 7.6 gW, China was once again the largest market for new offshore wind capacity, accounting for more than two-thirds of the global total in 2023, said BloombergNEF.

In offshore wind, Chinese turbine maker Mingyang Smart Energy Group doubled its annual installations to almost 3 gW in 2023, becoming the largest global supplier of turbines at sea for the first time, it said.

Mingyang unveiled plans last year for a new offshore wind turbine which, at 22 mW, will be the largest such turbine in the world.

Industry experts believe the wind power sector in China will grow rapidly in the coming years, with wind turbines becoming bigger, entailing taller hub heights and larger rotor diameters.

There has been a trend of making wind turbines larger and more powerful, typically by increasing their physical size and capacity to generate more electricity, said Luo Zuoxian, head of intelligence and research at the Sinopec Economics and Development Research Institute.

Larger turbines are often more efficient and cost-effective, leading to improved performance in the wind energy industry, he added.

China's accumulated offshore wind capacity is projected to double by 2025, increasing from 30.5 gW by the end of 2022 to more than 60 gW, said the National Energy Administration.

Wind turbine technology evolution is diverging quickly between China and the rest of the world, said Endri Lico, principal analyst of global wind supply chain and technology at Wood Mackenzie.

China continues to turn a profit while accelerating new product launches, he said.

Chinese original equipment manufacturers have dominated the domestic and international markets with an unprecedented number of new turbines, achieving the global lead in average turbine size.

Average offshore turbine ratings in China surpassed Europe in 2023 with 9.5 mW and 9.4 mW, respectively, while in onshore, Chinese OEMs leapfrogged Western peers by installing 5.4 mW versus 5.1 mW, respectively, according to Wood Mackenzie.