China Xplained | How China Goes Green in the Deep Blue

China has outpaced the world in offshore wind development. More than half of the world's operational offshore wind capacity, over 40 gigawatts, is already in China.
 
The country's economic powerhouse, Guangdong Province, is a prime example. In 2024, the province's marine economy exceeded 2 trillion yuan. Offshore wind is leading the charge, with installed capacity reaching 12.51 million kilowatts—ranking first in the nation.
 
Guangdong's coastal city of Yangjiang is home to some of the world's largest offshore wind projects.
 
Behind this impressive growth, critical questions remain. Offshore wind is expensive, and even advanced economies struggle to keep costs under control.
 
Can these offshore giants truly power China's enormous population? Will renewable energy scale up quickly enough to reduce reliance on coal and imported oil? And what does all this mean for global climate goals?
 
In this episode of China Xplained, we head to one of the world's biggest offshore wind farms in Yangjiang to look for answers.
 
Reporter: Xie Hongzhou

Cameraman: Deng Yingheng

Video: Deng Yingheng

Poster: Lai Meiya

Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James Campion, Shen He

Wu Wenhui (intern) also contributed to the story.