China wind power capacity tops 600 GW, equals 26 Three Gorges plants

China has pushed its wind power installed capacity past 600 million kilowatts, or roughly 600 gigawatts, a level equivalent to more than 26 times the installed capacity of the Three Gorges hydropower complex. The announcement, published alongside national energy statistics, underscores rapid growth across renewable technologies and confirms wind as a central pillar of China’s power transition.

China wind power capacity reaches new milestone

Data from the national energy regulator show that by the end of November the country’s total installed power generation capacity stood at 3.79 billion kilowatts, up 17.1% year on year. Within that total, solar installations reached 1.16 billion kilowatts, a rise of 41.9%, while wind power capacity grew 22.4% to surpass the 600 million kilowatt mark.

Several high-profile projects connected to the grid in 2025, including the world’s largest 26 MW offshore turbine, the highest‑altitude operational wind project and the nation’s most distant offshore wind farm. These milestones reflect not only scale but technological advancement in both onshore and offshore applications.

China now supplies about 70% of the world’s wind power equipment, a market position that has helped cut global wind generation costs by more than 60% over the past decade. In regions with strong wind resources, onshore wind levelised costs have fallen to around RMB 0.10 to RMB 0.15 per kilowatt‑hour. Nearshore and offshore projects have also seen significant cost declines, with average generation costs approaching RMB 0.33 per kilowatt‑hour in some areas, making wind competitive with conventional generation on a market basis.

The cost improvements are driven by larger turbine platforms, supply chain scale, manufacturing expertise and continued engineering innovation. Chinese manufacturers’ dominance in components and equipment has supported export growth and created industrial clusters that supply global markets.

For policy makers and investors, the figures signal expanding opportunities. Large-scale deployment improves system familiarity with variable renewables, prompting investments in grid upgrades, storage and flexible generation. Increased domestic deployment also strengthens the export proposition for Chinese firms seeking overseas projects across the BRICS+ region and beyond.

Nonetheless, integrating hundreds of gigawatts of wind capacity presents operational challenges. Grid operators must manage intermittency, expand transmission capacity from windy regions to demand centres and accelerate the roll-out of energy storage and demand response. Continued regulatory clarity, market incentives and infrastructure investment will be critical to realise the full value of these installations.

The wind sector’s expansion is also a jobs story. Turbine manufacturing, installation, operation and maintenance support a wide industrial supply chain, from specialised steel and electronics to port services and offshore logistics. That industrial footprint underpins regional development in coastal and inland provinces where wind resources are substantial.

Overall, the rapid increase in wind power capacity highlights China’s role as a driver of renewable energy scale and cost reduction internationally. With competitive generation costs and growing technological leadership, wind energy is poised to play a central role in decarbonisation efforts and in expanding China’s clean energy exports to partner countries.