China Unveils World’s First 20 MW Offshore Wind Turbine in Historic Milestone
A groundbreaking 20 MW wind turbine has been installed off the coast of southern Fujian, China. This marks the first time a turbine of this capacity has been placed at sea anywhere in the world. The project, completed on 13 January 2024, was developed by China Three Gorges (CTG) and Goldwind as part of a national renewable energy initiative.
The turbine was erected in Fengxian County, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province, under the Renewable Energy Technology project within China’s National Key Research and Development Programme. Its design stands out for being exceptionally lightweight, with the entire unit weighing less than 40 tonnes per megawatt—over 20% lighter than the industry standard.
The structure is immense, featuring a rotor diameter of 300 metres, blades stretching 147 metres, and a hub height of 174 metres—comparable to a 58-storey building. Once fully operational, it is expected to generate over 80 GWh of electricity annually, sufficient to power around 44,000 households. An advanced intelligent monitoring system ensures safe and autonomous operation, using multi-dimensional perception and early warning technology. This installation follows the deployment of the world’s first 16 MW wind turbine in the Pingtan waters of Fujian in 2023, another collaboration between CTG and Goldwind. Meanwhile, Mingyang Smart Energy has also made strides in high-capacity turbines, installing a 16 MW prototype in 2023 and a 20 MW model at an onshore test site in Hainan in 2024. The 20 MW turbine was selected as part of the fifth batch of major technological equipment for the energy sector by China’s National Energy Administration, highlighting its significance in the country’s renewable energy push.
The offshore installation of this 20 MW turbine sets a new benchmark for wind energy capacity at sea. Its lightweight design, massive scale, and high output are expected to play a key role in China’s renewable energy expansion. The project also reinforces the country’s position in developing cutting-edge wind power technology.
